Stand In The Rain
by Alex Beckett
Summary: JJ has a terrible, shameful secret that she's been hiding for a few months, but the more time passes, the harder it becomes to conceal. Emily is first person to find out what is happening, but will she be able to get through to JJ before she goes into a downward spiral, or will she be able to help save her?
1. Prolugue

**Disclaimer: I don't anything, except for who or what I make up.**

 **I have another Criminal Minds story going, but I just couldn't get this out of my head, so I'm going to give it a whirl. I've seen seasons 1-9, but I'm on Netflix Time, so I haven't seen any of season 10 at all :(**

 **Last thing—this is set in season 3, but before Will shows up.**

* * *

All JJ wanted to do was sit quietly in her bedroom and think about how topsy-turvy her life had been lately, especially the last week alone. She really needed to sit down and sort out her priorities.

Only an hour ago, she and the BAU team had returned from a case in Oregon that had involved the disappearance of a family—a young couple and their infant daughter. The case had ended without any deaths, but even still, there had been a point when baby Zooey had been recovered before her parents were.

Although they never found out who had brought Zooey to safety, JJ found her at the police station where the BAU had set up camp. She was wrapped up in blankets and sleeping soundly in a small cardboard box on one of the benches in the main hallway. Zooey woke up when JJ picked her up, and because of that, the baby bonded with her immediately.

JJ couldn't help but return the favor, but it was almost with reluctance.

It wasn't that JJ disliked children—she _loved_ them—but it seemed like babies or toddlers were everywhere she turned these days.

Normally, she didn't think twice about children unless she was interacting with a child or daydreaming about having her own, but because of recent events in her life, everything was different now.

* * *

Just before getting the call from Hotch that they'd be going to Oregon, JJ had been in the middle of telling her boyfriend, Baylor, about a very pressing matter: she was pregnant.

JJ had only known for a few hours beforehand, and she was in complete shock because she'd always wanted to be a mother, but she just didn't know if she could have _Baylor's_ baby.

The two of them had met at the gym when she had been been kickboxing, and interested (mostly in her), Baylor offered to hold her punching bag steady for her while she got her energy out. JJ had been extra irritable that day because she'd just had a bad breakup—she'd caught her partner cheating on her.

Infuriated, JJ went straight to the gym.

Baylor cheered her up a great deal, and they ended up sleeping together that night, in more ways than one. JJ normally didn't go looking for hookups or even revenge sex, but she'd been spurned so badly that she threw caution to the wind and gave herself to Baylor.

They turned into friends with benefits because of that first sexual encounter and they got together twice more for that reason because they both enjoyed it, plus, neither of them had any other kinds of relationship commitments that they were tied to.

After a month or so, they decided to start dating. That soon turned out to be a mistake, though. Baylor was a nice enough guy when they were at the gym or out with his friends from the law firm, but behind closed doors, he was a _totally_ different guy.

Baylor McMath was an abuser.

* * *

Never in a million years had JJ expected to find herself at the mercy of a man who was not only equipped with a horrible temper, but who also liked to use her as his personal punching bag when he was drunk… and lately, because of the way things had been going at his law firm, the drunk thing had been happening more than JJ cared to see. Or experience.

Now, JJ could defend herself well and good because she'd always been a strong believer in self-defense, and she always had to ready at a moment's notice in the field. But ever since Baylor had switched from taking his anger out on JJ's face to targeting mostly her body, JJ had become so very bruised that her body was constantly aching. Keeping up appearances, especially because she spent almost all of her time with a team of profilers and a very observant tech analyst was a project all by itself, and that almost drove her to exhaustion.

JJ wanted to give up and lie down.

But now she had a _baby_ to consider in the middle of this mess. She didn't know what she was going to do about it yet, but she still had to be responsible for the time being.

* * *

The second she entered her home, and dropped her keys and bag on the table next to the door, she heard the TV in the living room. Baylor was there, and it sounded like he was watching ESPN, his channel of choice.

"Baylor?" JJ called out as she entered the living room and stood behind his chair, which would force him to look at her. "I'm back."

"You're late." he switched off the TV set and walked around the chair to face her. "You can be on time to work when you get calls at random hours, but you can't be on time when you come home to me from your jet-setting?"

"Okay, first of all," JJ fired back immediately. "The 'jet-setting' as you put it, is a regular part of my job description, so if you want to make this relationship work, you're going to have to get used to that part. Second, I'm not a profiler like most of the team is, Baylor. I'm a _communications liaison,_ part of which means that ninety-five percent of the time, I decide where it is that we're going to, and because of that, I always have a little _more_ paper work than the others do. And third—this isn't _your_ home because it's _mine!_ It's _my_ name that is on the lease, and _your_ place is _downtown!"_

Baylor just stared at JJ evilly, almost delighted. JJ had inadvertently opened a door, and since Baylor wasn't drunk this time around, he was _really_ going to enjoy himself.

JJ immediately realized her mistake and began to apologize immediately. "Baylor, I'm _so_ sorry—I'm tired, and I slipped! _Please_ don't make me do it!"

Baylor advanced towards her, unbuckling his belt buckle. "If you think I'm going to let you off the hook because you're _tired,_ then you are sorrowfully mistaken!"

JJ continued to plead with him as he continued to advance on her, which in turn made her back towards the couch, but all JJ could see was Baylor continuing to undress himself. The blond fought back a shudder—sometimes, when Baylor finished with her, she couldn't walk without feeling sore. Though she could usually hide that, it was getting harder now, and one of these days, it was going to draw out a question from one of her teammates.

 _"Please_ don't! I'll do _anything,_ but just not _this!_ Not tonight!"

"You know the rule—get to it."

Feeling even more shame than she usually did these days, JJ undid her own pants and laid down on the couch to let Baylor have his way with her.

She was finally broken.

* * *

After taking his time and spending himself inside JJ twice, Baylor eventually rolled off her, panting heavily for a moment before getting up and heading off to the bathroom for a shower. He abandoned JJ on the couch without a second thought, and it made her feel cheap, dirty, and used. JJ felt her stomach churn, though, when she remembered that there were still times when she and Baylor had consensual sex. She missed those times.

She honestly didn't know what to do, because the last time she'd come close to explaining her home life to Emily over the phone, Baylor had come over, drunk as a skunk, and she'd had to end the call to look after him.

Laying there on the couch as she tried not to cry in self-pity, JJ already knew that this was was going to be a too-sore-to-move night.

Emily, though. JJ needed to get herself together and call her because Emily made her feel safe… and in the back of her mind, JJ knew Emily would protect her. JJ also had the feeling that Emily would have her back in whatever choice she ultimately made about the baby. Penelope would, too, but she'd probably buckle and cry first. Emily would be steady all the way through, and that was what JJ _really_ needed right now.

Emily, JJ thought as she stood and made herself decent. If I can just get my things together and leave before Baylor gets out of the shower, then I'll be safe.

JJ's hand was almost on the doorknob when…

"And just _where_ do you think you're going?" Baylor had finished his shower and spotted her leaving. "We still need to finish that chat you started before you went to Oregon. Shut the door and come here."

JJ sighed and did as she was told, but when she approached Baylor, she leaned against the wall because the soreness was beginning to kick in.

"So," Baylor started. "You've been gone for a week—have you decided what you're going to do about the baby?"

JJ thought back to all of the time she'd spent with baby Zooey in the hospital. As far as she and the others had figured, sometime between being taken from her parents and then being brought to the station, Zooey had been left to the elements for awhile, and that was a bad thing not only because she was tiny, but also because it was winter, and temperatures dropped quickly throughout the day, even on the west coast.

That meant that after being tasked to stay with Zooey until she was up to par, JJ had done everything she could to get the baby's body temperature in order, including holding her skin-to-skin. JJ even went on to give Zooey kisses and cuddles, and even tell her stories and sing to her until she was comfortable enough to take a bottle from her. JJ loved that little baby and would always remember her, especially the way Zooey had managed to wrap her around her finger immediately when she wasn't even strong enough to hold her own head up all the way.

Truth be told, up until her encounter with Zooey, JJ had seriously been considering an abortion.

But now… that option was in doubt.

"No, Baylor." JJ finally said. "I haven't decided anything."

"Well, I'll give you money for an abortion or to go off somewhere and have it quietly, but we can't have this kind of _inconvenience_ ruining our life together!"

"Don't you treat me like this is the 1950s, and I'm some scared, broke teenage girl! I'm not sure what I want to do—if I want to raise it, give it up, or have it at all—but I'm staying put in _my_ home while I figure something out, since you clearly aren't invested in this!"

"Oh, really?" Baylor sneered. "Then where were you going just now? To your precious Emily?"

The color drained from JJ's face; she'd always been very careful not to talk in too much about about her colleagues in the five months that they had been together because she was the kind of person who preferred not to mix business with pleasure. Not sharing with Baylor the names of the people she worked with, saw the most and loved most was inluded in that preference.

"How do you know that name?"

"How else?" Baylor asked, as if the answer was blindingly obvious. "You say her name in your sleep all the time."

"I-I do?"

Baylor nodded. "Yeah! Don't tell me you're one of those dykes that swings both ways!"

JJ didn't know what to say to that because she did 'swing both ways,' and two relationships ago, she'd been in a relationship with a woman. Things hadn't worked out, so they ended things on good terms, and that had been that. But… even still, that had been almost a month before Emily had joined the BAU, and _that_ had already been six months ago.

"I resent the term dy—oof!"

Out of nowhere, Baylor had sucker-punched JJ.

"Baylor, what the hell?" she gasped as she righted herself. "What was that for?"

"For talking about a _woman_ in your sleep!"

He punched her again. _THWOK!_

"I'm _done_ with you!"

"Good riddance." JJ muttered under her breath.

Angered by the backtalk, Baylor threw JJ against the base of the living room bookshelf, and while it didn't fall on her, a few of her heavier books fell off and landed on her left arm. JJ cried out in pain because of course it hurt, but she was also sure she felt something break.

In the distance, JJ heard the front door slam shut, meaning that Baylor had left and that she was _finally_ alone.

Soon, JJ summoned the strength to move the offending objects off her arm, and when she dared to look at it, she almost passed out because it was a bright red shade that could be associated with bone breaks. Thankfully, the bone wasn't sticking out of her arm, but the limb in question was bent at a shape most unnatural.

Do not barf, JJ told herself as she got to her feet and focused on making her way over to her go bag, her goal being to retrieve her phone. Do not barf, do not barf. Call Emily.

She achieved her goal, although she sank to the floor and leaned against wall as she dialed Emily's number and held her phone to her ear with the hand that wasn't on fire.

Emily answered on the third ring, already in a happy mood because of some news she'd found out a doctor's appointment she'd gone to almost as soon as they'd landed.

"JJ, hi! Boy, do I have something _really_ exciting to tell you!"

JJ said nothing, her heart sinking when she heard Emily's joy. How could anyone else been happy when she'd just gotten the tar beaten out of her?

"JJ?" Emily asked cautiously. "You still there?"

JJ responded, although she sounded miserable. "It was a mistake to call. I'm sorry to bother you."

Panic mounted in Emily's own heart just at the sound of her friend's tone, so she quickly said, "JJ, you are _not_ a bother to me—never _ever!_ Calling me tonight was _not_ a mistake, sweetie! Are you at home?"

"Yeah, but it's bad and I'm really scared…"

"I'm already in my car, and really close to your street; keep talking to me and I'll come get you!"

The story came tumbling out, but Emily made it to her before she got to the parts about the baby and the broken arm. When Emily saw her, she fussed over her like a mother hen, and that already made JJ feel safe.

"That bastard broke your arm?" Emily gasped when she saw the wound. _"That's_ what happened when he threw you against the bookshelf?"

JJ nodded, although a wince immediately followed that because she had a splitting headache. "Emily, I'm pregnant."

Had this conversation been anything other than what it was, Emily would have hugged her friend and congratulated her, so instead, she proceeded with caution.

"JJ, is this a _good_ thing?"

"I don't know," JJ leaned against Emily, trying to relax. "Because until I was with baby Zooey, I seriously been considering an abortion…"

"Woah, hey!" Emily patted JJ's cheek with one hand when she started drifting off in mid-sentence. "You stay with me now, sweetheart! Stay with me!"

"Arm hurts…" JJ mumbled.

"I'm going to call for an ambulance now," Emily said as she dug her phone out of her jacket pocket. "But you've got to stay with me!"

* * *

The EMTs arrived quickly, and as they heeded Emily's words about JJ's pregnancy, they loaded the communications liaison onto a gurney and began checking for signs of a concussion as they stabilized her arm before they made their way out of the apartment and boarded the elevator out in the hallway.

"Where is Emily?" JJ managed to ask. "I need her."

"She's here." the first EMT told her as the lift began to descend from the seventh floor to the first. "Can you tell me your name?"

"SSA Jennifer Abigail Grace Jareau, badge number 20385."

"FBI, huh?" the EMT asked her. "What unit do you work for?"

JJ knew the EMT was asking her these questions to keep her focused on the situation, but she was currently on a single track.

"Emily?" she tried again as the second EMT outfitted her a nasal oxygen tube and an auxiliary oxygen supply. "Where are you?"

Emily appeared in her line of sight, immediately smoothing JJ's hair out of her face as she spoke to her.

"I'm right here, JJ." she cooed. "I have your bag, and everything, but you have to let the EMTs take care of you! I promise I'll be there when you wake up!"

The pain JJ was experiencing was already weighing her down, but still, she tried to protest. "I'm not tired…"

"Yes, you are, and that's okay." Emily told her. "Let them take care of you and the baby."

At the mention of her offspring, JJ finally shut down and laid back, retreating inside herself.

 _Did_ she want this baby? _Did_ she want to raise it and love it?

Or did she want to abort it and pretend that she'd never gotten pregnant with an abuser's baby in the first place? She wasn't even sure how far along she was…

 _Did_ she want to be a mother, or did she want to go to bed at night knowing that she'd made the choice to snuff out an innocent child's life before it had even had its first chance to breathe?

JJ didn't know at all anymore.

Those were her last thoughts before finally passing out.


	2. One

JJ woke with a start, but as she took stock of her surroundings, Emily appeared at her side almost immediately, gently pushing her back on the bed when she tried to sit up.

When JJ got the message, she relaxed and laid back.

Emily gave her friend a kind smile. "Hey, you; how are you doing?"

"Super sore… and _super_ thirsty."

Emily helped JJ have a few sips of water from a cup she'd filled for her earlier, but warned her to pace herself because she'd been down for the count for awhile. After that, JJ noticed that her hair was now devoid its ponytail from earlier, and that bothered her a little at the moment.

"What is it?" Emily asked.

"I feel dumb asking this, but do you have a hair tie, or something? I just want my hair out of my eyes right now."

Emily found one in her pocket, and although she had to sit in close proximity to JJ to do it, she delicately combed her fingers through JJ's golden locks to get rid of any stray tangles before gathering the hair with her hand and tying it up with the hair tie. When there was a stray lock of hair that hadn't made it into the ponytail, Emily tucked it behind JJ's ear for her. Anything to maintain contact.

JJ was mesmerized by Emily's gentleness, and when she made to move back to her chair, JJ spoke softly.

"Stay. Please."

Emily's heart skipped a beat. She had feelings for JJ, no two ways about it, and she'd noticed over the past few months that she was a little… _closed off_ and almost _scared_ to reach out to anyone on the team past a professional manner.

She knew now that Baylor was to blame for that, and that in this particular situation, most people wouldn't cater to JJ's need for some kind of affection because that would make it seem like she was being taken advantage of, but then again, even though she didn't know if JJ was interested women, either, Emily Magdalene Prentiss didn't fall into the 'most people' category.

So she stayed.

"Okay."

JJ became a little less downhearted and then paused, finally taking in everything she'd been outfitted in since her admittance to the hospital.

First and foremost, her arm was secured in a cloth sling across her body to keep it out of the way, and that was good. She still had the nasal tube, and she was wearing a hospital gown while sporting a plastic ID bracelet on her available wrist, but now there was also a medical finger clamp on her right pointer finger with a long coated cable protruding from the end, and JJ suspected that it was monitoring her blood pressure.

Not to be missed was a fresh oxygen tank for the nasal tube, along with an IV line that was pumping saline into her veins. Her heart was being monitored with wires that were attached to her chest with paper patches, and when she looked down her body a little further, she saw that her midriff was exposed and that more patches and wires were decorating the lower portion, the slightly distended part.

Wrinkling her nose and looking away quickly, JJ asked, "Emily, why isn't my arm in a proper cast yet, and why is the baby being monitored?"

"I told your doctor that you're having mixed feelings about the baby and that you're considering an abortion. The baby is in good health—I saw it on an ultrasound on the ambulance ride over here—but the doctor also said that if you _really_ want an abortion, we can schedule an appointment for today."

"If I did that, would you come with me?"

Without missing a beat and because she genuinely loved her, Emily answered. "Yes, JJ. For you, I would."

JJ just about turned to mush at the sincerity, but she forced herself to stay in the game. "There was another thing, wasn't there?"

Emily nodded. "The doctor said that as long as you keep the pregnancy going, you can continue using the level of anesthesia that you're on, and if you're intent on that, we can take care of your arm soon."

"Do I need surgery on it?"

"No, but…"

"Yes…?" JJ prompted.

"If we wait too long, the anesthesia will be pumped up, anyway, but that will also induce a miscarriage. You're at nine weeks right now, so it wouldn't be as traumatic as it would be further down the line, but still, a miscarriage is a miscarriage."

JJ's heart began to fill with fear as the gravity of the situation all but slammed into her.

She still didn't know if she wanted the baby or not, but if she had a say in hers and her child's health, she definitely did _not_ want a miscarriage. But would going that route, or even down the path _leading_ to an abortion be selfish? Yes, her life and job were complicated, but it wasn't like she couldn't support herself and a child, and it most certainly wasn't like she didn't have any love to give to a baby—Zooey had been proof of that.

But then JJ had to get real: her arm was broken and it needed to be mended as quickly as possible. She also had a job that required her to be a public face quite often.

Overwhelmed, JJ began to cry, something she didn't often do in front of any of her BAU colleagues; in fact, she was sure that in the six months Emily had been with them, she hadn't cried in front of her yet.

Glad that she wasn't on the side of JJ that wasn't broken, Emily wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to her in a hug, careful not to aggravate the bruises covering JJ's petite frame.

"I've got you, JJ." Emily murmured to her. "I've got you."

"I haven't been this afraid of anything since I was eleven and…"

JJ's words trailed off—she'd been about to mention Rosaline but stopped herself. The team knew that JJ had had a sister once, but they didn't know how she'd died or how old she'd been. They would find out one day, but JJ didn't want to talk about her precious big sister when she was feeling so vulnerable.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Emily asked.

"Maybe later, but not right now."

JJ leaned a little more into Emily's hold, feeling even more content when Emily deepened the hold and then secure when also realized how lovely and warm the other woman was.

"Thank you—for everything."

"You are very welcome."

As a comforting tactic, Emily pressed a kiss to the top of JJ's head and dropped her hand to her waist. It was all done without a second thought, but when actions caught up with realization, Emily froze because she didn't know how JJ would react, given everything she'd been through with Baylor. In truth, JJ was very surprised because it had been such a long time that she'd been held, let alone kissed in an affectionate way, but it wasn't all unwelcome because it actually felt right and made her heart turn cartwheels.

She even let out a contented sigh, and that made Emily relax and kiss her crown again.

"I've got you." she repeated.

"I love that, especially because I can finally breathe for the first time since… I don't know when."

For a brief moment, JJ forgot everything in regards to the baby and Baylor, and even her injuries. She even put her good hand on top of Emily's as she thought about how right it felt to be held so lovingly because while Emily seemed to be holding herself back so she didn't want to make it seem like she was taking advantage of her, she was still displaying enough affection to be completely convincing.

True, their actions were crossing all kinds of lines, but they were both of them very affectionate people, and also very, very human. JJ even found herself hoping that there was more to Emily's comforting skills than just comforting.

Unfortunately, the moment ended too soon when Emily's phone chimed to signal the arrival of a new text.

"That'll be from Penelope." Emily pulled away from JJ and extracted her phone from her jacket pocket, checking her texts. "Yep."

She sent an answer before putting her mobile back while JJ just furrowed her eyebrows.

"How does PG know where I am?"

"In my defense," Emily said quickly. "She called me, asking where you were or if I'd heard from you."

"Her ESP/mama bear thing kicked in, and she weaseled the truth out of you, didn't she?"

"Yes, but I didn't tell her about Baylor, your arm, or the baby."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Penelope is coming to check on me now for her own peace of mind now, huh?"

"Yes, and she's in the elevators now—that's what her text was about. Would you like me to ask her to leave?"

"No." JJ decided. "I want her, but I don't want the boys to know just yet."

"I understand, and you know, it won't hurt to have her to talk to right now."

"Why?"

"Penelope knows a thing or two about babies and tricky situations. I do, too."

Before JJ could ask for some kind of explanation, there was a knock on the doorframe and when they looked towards it, they saw Penelope had arrived and was looking relieved. She was dressed in her usual bright tones (which immediately made JJ perkier), and in addition to her purse, she was also sporting a gift bag, too. She set both of her things aside on JJ's bedside and before standing back to take in the sight of JJ awake and sitting up.

"I don't know what it is," the tech analyst told the communications liaison. "But I just had this feeling that I should come check on you—and not just because you and the others were in Oregon all week. Is my intuition on point?"

"Uh-huh." JJ said. "Will you come sit with us?"

Penelope had already noticed JJ's baby belly and was now very tempted to make a comment about how cozy her friends looked in spite of the situation, but wisely decided that this was not the time and accepted JJ's invitation.

By the time JJ finished telling her story, Penelope felt her heart breaking for JJ because of the mess she was in. She knew how she was going to respond but didn't get a chance because the doctor entered at that point and informed JJ that now that she was awake, it was time for another ultrasound.

Emily and Penelope stayed upon JJ's request, but JJ herself stayed completely disengaged, looking away from the monitor and turning down an offer to hear the heartbeat. She let Penelope smooth back her hair and Emily hold her good hand, but she became so disengaged that she only half-heard her friends and the doctor begging her to turn around. JJ held fast to her abnegation, so when she heard Emily request sonogram printouts, she told herself that she wouldn't look at them just yet.

"Agent Jareau?"

The check up was over, and JJ was trying almost a little too hard to not let her thoughts derail as Emily cleaned off the ultrasound gel from her belly for her since her damaged arm was her good one and she wasn't too practiced at doing things right-handed yet.

For the second time since waking up, JJ forced herself to stay in the game when she Doctor Bennet looking at her.

"Even if you don't want know details about your pregnancy, we still need to talk logistics, considering your pressing condition. Do you understand?"

"Yes." JJ nodded as Emily finished her task, adjusted her garment and threw away the paper towel she'd been using. "Is it alright if Emily and Penelope stay? They're my two closest friends, and my family is back in Pennsylvania."

"They can stay as long as you want them."

Emily and Penelope joined JJ on the bed, and all three of them gave Doctor Bennet their full attention, although she spoke directly to her patient.

"If you decide to go through with the abortion, you will have to stay here overnight because your system in already weak because of all the bruises you've sustained. A procedure like that would be very taxing on you as a whole."

"I get that."

"Good." Bennet approved. "That being said, if you continue to see your pregnancy out, we can release you after we set your arm on the mend. I highly recommend that you stay with one of your friends, here."

"That can be arranged." the other two said in unison.

JJ smiled a little, glad that she had such a strong support system already. "Do I have a concussion?"

"Luckily, no, and considering that you were thrown into a _bookshelf,_ you got incredibly lucky because other than your broken arm and a few bruises, nothing else happened. The first twenty-four hours with a broken limb, especially once it's put into a proper cast, is an adjustment period."

"Then I _will_ stay with Emily or Penelope."

"That will suffice. I'm sure Agent Prentiss told you about your timeframe, yes?"

"She did. How much time is left?"

After some calculations and consulting her watch, Bennet said, "Fifteen minutes. I'll be back at the end of that time to hear your choice."

Doctor Bennet left after that and JJ sighed heavily, and leaned back in her bed, turning to the other blond in the room.

"Penelope, Emily said that you know something about babies and 'tricky situations'?"

Penelope smiled sadly at the memories she was immediately flooded with. "I went through an extreme wild child phase after my parents died, and because of different choices I made, I got pregnant twice in ten months, but miscarried both babies because my body couldn't handle it."

"Do you miss your babies?"

"Every day and all the time. I wasn't too far along either time, but if my kids were still here, they'd both be graduating high school this year."

"You imagine how things would have been? Doesn't that make it worse?"

"No, actually." Penelope said softly. "It actually makes it hurt less, even after all these years."

Feeling comforted, JJ looked to Emily. "What's your story?"

Emily sighed heavily—her experience would always hurt, even when she was with people she cared about. "What I'm about to say stays between the three of us for now, but when I was fifteen, my parents and I lived in Italy for almost a whole year. My parents weren't thrilled, but I also went through a wild child phase. I even got pregnant."

"What happened?"

"I was really scared and got an abortion. My parents didn't find out until years later."

"Do you regret the procedure?"

"I don't know if regret is the right word, but I sure do miss my little one, especially considering that he or she would be in their twenties by now."

"Do you do what Penelope does and imagine how things would have been?"

"Uh-huh. I had my abortion because it felt like the right thing to do since I was in high school and had no money of my own, but I like to imagine that the baby is happy up in heaven, chasing butterflies."

"And that makes your pain ease?"

"Yes."

JJ fell quiet for a minute, thinking about the intimate stories her friends had just told her. She also thought about the life growing inside her womb and how the next few minutes were crucial.

"But for what it's worth, Jennifer," (JJ looked at Emily in surprise because hardly anyone ever called her by her actual name) "If you don't go through with the termination, then it means that my kid will have company down the road."

Penelope reacted first, gasping in surprise before turning to JJ, wanting to see what she would say. The woman in question felt a rush of joy for her friend.

"You're pregnant? This is what you were going to tell me earlier?"

Emily nodded as she pulled out a sonogram image from her inside jacket pocket and handed it to JJ. "I've been trying for five years to be a mother through adoption or IVF because I'm older than I look and I don't want to wake up one day and realize I missed my chance. The IVF worked and I'm over the moon because this is the furthest I've ever gotten and that sonogram is my first-ever picture of my munchkin."

JJ's eyes filled with tears at the sight of Emily's baby. That little grey blob in the middle of the picture was a real person, growing inside Emily's body, right that very second, and according to the printed information in the top right corner, would be making its world debut in six months.

"Oh, Emily, I'm so happy for you!" As she handed the special picture back to her, she dabbed at the tears with her good hand. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, JJ. That means a lot."

Penelope also gave Emily her congratulations before picking up the gift bag she'd brought in with her and placed it gently on JJ's lap.

"I'm not expecting a visit from the stork—although I wish I was—but I brought a present for you."

With Emily keeping the bag steady, JJ reached inside and pulled out a wooden picture frame, but when she saw the picture inside, her heart leapt: it was a beautiful black-and-white close-up shot of her and Zooey together in the hospital. Zooey was having skin-to-skin time after a bottle feeding and was half asleep. A baby blanket was draped over her back, which JJ was keeping in place with one hand as she supported Zooey's rump with her other hand.

The picture captured JJ giving Zooey a kiss and Zooey smiling in reaction. JJ hadn't even known the picture was being taken.

"Penelope," she tore her eyes away to look at her beaming friend. "How did you get this picture?"

"Derek told me he took it with his phone when he came to visit you while you were looking after Zooey, and he sent it to me because he know how much you loved spending time with her, and also that I'd be able to do something with the image for you."

"Thank you so much, Penelope—this is really precious. I'll talk to Derek about it tomorrow."

"My favorite part," the bespectacled woman mused. "Is that Zooey means life."

"It does?"

"Yes, and speaking of life, I've got another present for you… and I really hope you look this time."

JJ knew what was coming—her own sonogram.

It was with reluctance that she took it, but when she did and she examined the picture, her heart just about jumped out of her chest, although it was just because she wasn't just looking at a picture of her offspring for the first time; there was another thing about the picture that not only made her cry happy tears, but also made her heart tighten with pure joy, just like when she had seen the picture of Emily's baby.

"I-is this right?" she looked from one friend to the other. "There's _two?"_

"Yes." Emily and Penelope said in unison, both inwardly crossing their fingers.

"These are _my_ babies…"

JJ looked back at the picture and without even realizing it, put a hand on her middle and caressed it lovingly.

"These are my babies, and they need me…"

Emily sat with JJ again, and not caring that Penelope was watching, held her close again and gave JJ a kiss on her temple this time. "Yes, JJ, they do. They need their mommy."

JJ began to weep openly as she almost physically felt herself have a change of heart.

Penelope sat back on the bed, and worked with Emily to get JJ calm again because was actually very important that she not get dehydrated. It was a few moments before JJ was herself again.

"Talk to us, JJ." Penelope soothed. "Come on."

Confidence bolstered when Emily put a hand in the small of her back for support, JJ spoke.

"I want them."

JJ put good hand back on middle, touching it to the swell there—the swell that was housing her two little babies—and this time, she was overflowing with love for them. It was a mother's kind of love.

"I'm going to keep my babies!" JJ said, extremely happy now because her admission was making thing one hundred percent real. "I'm going to be a mom!"


	3. Two

"Come on, JJ—you can do this!" Emily soothed. "You are so brave!"

 _"No!"_

It was time to set JJ's arm and put it in a plaster cast, but there was a hiccup: owing to the nature of the break, the orthopedic doctor had to break the arm a little more for it to be safe to set. JJ's anesthetic was on a different, safer level, and while it was doing its job, JJ was still only allowed to have a specific amount in her system, which meant that in the end, even if it was only going to be a little bit, she was going to be able to feel the break happening.

Needless to say, JJ was freaked out—especially since she'd never had a broken bone before—and now she was acting like a stubborn little girl, giving Emily and Penelope a glimpse at what JJ must've been like when she actually _had_ been one.

"I know you're scared," Emily continued. "But I'm right here, and so is Penelope."

The bespectacled woman stepped forward and rounded the table so she was holding JJ's good hand. "That part will over in a second. You'll see."

"You two aren't going out of the room?"

Penelope shook her head as Emily stepped a little closer to the examination table and guided JJ to lay her head on her torso, effectively right against the area where her unborn baby was gestating.

"It's okay, Jayje." Emily was already caressing JJ's hair in a very comforting way. "You just lay your head right here."

JJ relaxed into Emily's touch immediately, and with a heavy sigh, held out her injured limb. "Please just do it."

Doctor Chung held JJ's arm in her hands and then counted three before: _SNAP!_

JJ cried out and pressed her cheek against Emily's torso as she squeezed Penelope's hand tightly. Being the good sports they were, Penelope didn't complain, and Emily continued to comfort the woman in her arms.

"You did so well!" Emily kissed JJ's temple when it was over. "Good job!"

JJ gave her a small smile and then turned to the doctor, who, along with a nurse, was prepping the next part of the procedure.

"Time to set the break?"

"Yes. Please lay back."

JJ did as she was told and watched as her her arm was set and then stabilized before being wrapped in gauze and plaster. When it came to choosing what color she wanted her cast to be, she immediately chose white, so that way, any names that were signed on it would show up easily. Part of her also thought that it would be a good tool in case she worked with children in the next eight weeks.

By the time JJ's cast was completely dry, it had been decided that she was going to stay with Emily because she lived closer to work than Penelope did. The technical analyst was completely fine with that, and after she signed her name on JJ's cast with the new sharpies the doctor had provided her patient with, she left.

"Emily," JJ turned to the other woman when they were finally alone. "Come sign my cast."

Emily laughed and raised an eyebrow as she chose a marker and sat next to her on the bed. "Aren't _we_ a little McBossypants already?"

"Good thing you didn't know me when I was a kid." JJ joked. "I was _quite_ a _brat."_

Emily held JJ's wrist atop her own baby bump to keep it steady. _"Please._ I've been an only child for my entire life, and rebel though I was, I _also_ happened to be the _brattiest_ kid you _ever_ met. You've met my mother, but if you met my dad, then _he_ would be able to provide plenty of stories to back me up—mother has _completely_ blocked out the more exciting ones."

At the mention of having both of Emily's parents in one room, JJ felt her heart skip a beat, but she said nothing and just watched Emily neatly print her name on the cast. When she finished, she put JJ's hand back in her lap and got to her feet.

JJ laughed when she located Emily's name. "You just _had_ to pick that spot, didn't you?"

"Damn straight."

Emily had written her name square in the middle of JJ's palm, and for an extra measure, put a heart at the end. That made JJ's own heart flutter, but she worked on schooling her emotions at least a little because she was still hooked up to the heart monitor, and she didn't want to send the machine into distress.

"Emily?"

The brunette looked over at JJ. "Yes?"

"I—"

JJ was going to say something about how close she was already feeling to her, but it was interrupted by the arrival of her primary doctor, who happily gave her a clean bill of health, all things considered.

Once JJ signed her release papers—which took some extra effort, now that she was right-handed—Emily sat with her again and her take off all of the tubes, wires, and patches she was hooked up to. Emily even helped to wipe off the sticky residue that the patches left behind, but only because she wanted another excuse to touch JJ.

The blond seemed to be on the same wavelength, because when Emily finished cleaning everything up, JJ held the older woman's hand to her bump, keeping it in place.

"JJ?" Emily questioned.

JJ leaned forward and kissed Emily on the cheek, very close to the mouth and then looked at her with complete adoration.

She also had to bite back a laugh when Emily reacted by looking stunned and then a touch smitten at the same time.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue today." JJ told her. "I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Emily finally got back to the program—just for a second, she'd been imagining doing more with JJ than just kissing her—and gave JJ a look of love akin to the one she'd just dished out.

"Anything for you, JJ. I mean it."

JJ's heart jumped at that. In a good way.

* * *

They decided to stop by JJ's apartment to collect some of her things, and JJ was thankful for the company because if she'd gone back alone, she would have curled up on the floor and cried herself out. With Emily beside her, she felt stronger.

To a point.

"Hey." Emily sat with JJ on the edge of her bed, a packed overnight bag between them. "What's going on in your head?"

JJ had been staring into space as a sudden thought dawned on her. It was just a matter of putting it into words.

"I want to tell you something, Emily, but I don't want you to think I'm forcing myself on you or trying to take advantage of your hospitality."

"Tell me, anyway."

JJ turned to look at her. "Emily, I'm _scared_ to come back here and be by myself after my stay with you is done. A lot of bad stuff happened in this apartment, and I mean a _lot._ Even if I _wasn't_ pregnant, I don't think I'd be able to deal with being here alone."

Even from where Emily sat, she had no problem in recognizing that JJ's fear was rolling off her in waves; she was terrified of her own thoughts.

"Come stay with me." she said. "I will admit that I'm kind of lonely when I'm at home—when I'm actually there—but why don't you come stay with me while your arm heals, hm? I could also help you if or when you get hit with a stumbling block, or something."

JJ was very taken aback by this offer because of all things, she had not expected Emily to extend her hospitality further.

"Are you sure? My sentence for the cast is at least eight weeks, and we already see each other almost every day!" JJ laughed nervously. "Plus, I'm not the only one of us here who is carrying precious cargo!"

At that, Emily got off the bed and squatted in front of JJ, resting her hands on the blond's knees to keep her balance as she looked up at her. "You are my _friend,_ JJ, and I _really_ care about you; I really want you to be _happy_ and _safe._ I'm offering my home to you because of those reasons, and because I _want_ to."

JJ rubbed at her eyes with her good hand as tears formed in them. "I don't want to be in your way."

"I'm going to take a guess and say that Baylor did or said something to you that made you think that nobody would want to be friends with you… or even want you."

"He did, and it was awful…"

"You don't ever have to tell me about that if you don't want to, but I want you to know that two babies in your belly or not, you would _never_ be in my way. _Ever."_ Emily had seen too much in her extensive career to turn her back on an abuse victim when she saw one, and because it was JJ, she would do everything she could to show her love when started spiraling or question her self-worth. _"I_ want to be your friend, and _I_ want you. You are _so_ loved, JJ—more than you could _ever_ know."

Though JJ had recently spent months under Baylor's thumb, she knew once more that Emily was being genuine and heartfelt. In response, she moved to the floor with her and pulled her into a warm hug.

No words were said because none had to be, but they both knew that a very special bond was being formed between them; they had become best friends on the day they met, but now, after everything that had happened today, they were in that very special place that was known as that sacred space between best friends and lovers… and they both really liked it.

After a minute, JJ kissed Emily on the cheek, just like she had on the hospital and said, "Thank you, Emily. I don't know what to say, other than that you are a precious, _precious_ friend, and that I appreciate every last thing you've done for me tonight."

I'm also falling in love with you, JJ thought.

"Does this mean you'll come home with me and stay for awhile?"

"Yes." JJ actually laughed because Emily was being incredible adorable now. "It also means that I'm going to be needing my luggage set."

Emily stood immediately. "Where do you keep it?"

"In the front closet—it looks like something you'd see in a Hepburn movie, but with wheels, and all of the pieces are bright pink."

Emily scuttled off immediately to get the luggage, leaving JJ to really laugh and shake her head in amusement.

She still hurt—in more ways than one—because of all that Baylor had done, and it would take awhile until she was completely better, but as long as Emily was with her, she knew that no matter how many different obstacles she would encounter during the healing process, she wouldn't be alone or fall too far down any rabbit hole, should any tempt her.

She also knew that something wonderful had just been set in motion in regards to her bond with Emily, and that gave her hope.


	4. Three

JJ was plagued with nightmares later that night.

Never mind that the cast also made it hard to sleep, but she also didn't get nightmares that much, so when she _did_ get them, they were always a little _too_ real.

"JJ? Wake up, now!"

"JJ, come on, sweetie! You're safe now!"

"You're _safe!"_

JJ jerked out of her dream state, and when she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a concerned-looking, pajama-clad Emily bathed in the warm lamplight and sitting with her on the bed.

"Em?" JJ yawned as she sat up. "Did I wake you? I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Emily stroked JJ's cheek with a finger. "You were having a nightmare."

JJ's bottom lip trembled as the memories came back. "I dreamed that Baylor came after you, Penelope, and the others, holding you all hostage. By the time I woke up, he had died, but I still couldn't get to the rest of you."

Mindful of JJ's arm, Emily pulled her in for a hug. "JJ, Baylor is _gone._ He can't touch you."

JJ involuntarily clenched her legs together for a second as she recalled exactly _how_ Baylor had touched her.

"He's gone, and he can't touch me." she echoed.

"That's right." Emily kissed JJ on the temple, something she almost couldn't help now but did because JJ liked it. "If he ever _does_ come near you again, I'll tell the boys, and they'll all come running… although we both know that Derek would get there first."

JJ grinned at the thought of setting Derek loose on Baylor because after all these years together, Derek was as good as a brother, and she knew he'd do anything for her. She had a brother named Archer, but he was older than her and lived out in Drexel, Missouri with his wife and daughter, and they only really saw each other at Christmastime in Pennsylvania, as it was. Derek? JJ saw him almost every day, and that was good enough for her.

"Derek would, wouldn't he?"

"Mhm."

JJ let out a yawn; it was already late and she was getting sleepy again, but Emily's back rub was helping. Her sleepiness didn't escape Emily's notice at all, especially when she subconsciously curled the fingers on her good hand in the cloth of Emily's shirt in an effort to keep her close.

"Jayje?"

At the sound of her nickname, JJ sat up and looked at Emily through through heavily eyelids.

"Hmm?"

"Come to bed with me."

JJ was immediately more awake as her heart promptly turned a cartwheel. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

"Yes." Emily confirmed. "Come with me, and we'll sleep."

JJ was floating on air by this point, so she was only vaguely aware of grabbing her pillow, turning off the lamp, and following Emily down the hallway to her bedroom. The one thing she was _acutely_ aware of was that she and Emily were both asleep ten minutes later.

The best part? No more nightmares for the rest of the night.

* * *

Much to the agents' delight, neither of them woke with any morning sickness, meaning that they were able to enjoy a normal morning together before work.

As they were gathering up the last of their things that they would need to take with them to work, including freshly packed go bags, Emily didn't hear JJ for a few minutes, and when she looked for her, she found her sitting on the edge of their bed, staring into space and looking almost embarrassed about something.

"You in there?" Emily asked her, setting her things on a chair next to the door and approaching the bed.

"Uh-huh." JJ looked over to her. "I just hit one of those godawful stumbling blocks you theorized about yesterday."

"Anything I can do to help?"

JJ actually blushed, but only because she was very independent and had a hard time asking for help every now and then.

"Are you any good at doing hairstyles besides ponytails?"

Emily was actually really good at doing hair, but she never had anyone to show her skills off to. "I am. Anything in particular that you'd like?"

JJ shrugged. "Something that will keep my hair out of my eyes."

Emily rectified that situation by giving JJ a bun hairstyle, and because she had a lot of hair and it was quite long, she was able to give it a little flair. That boosted JJ's confidence because she was already nervous about showing up to work in a cast, but at least she would look nice and could feel good about one part of her appearance now.

On the way to work, they chatted casually with each other, although it was mostly about their children and the different ideas they already had about their futures. By the time they reached the BAU floor, JJ found herself thinking that she could totally get used to a life like this with Emily.

Their little bubble was burst when they saw that they got a group text from Hotch, asking them to go to his office before heading out to their work areas. Curiously, Penelope was also included in the text, but since they hadn't seen her yet, they assumed that she would be along eventually.

When they entered Hotch's office, they saw him sitting at his desk. They also saw that Rossi was there, too.

"First of all, you two can relax right now." Hotch said lightly as they set their things down. "There are some things we need to talk about, but it would be best if Garcia was here, too; the three of you are a solid unit and the things we're going to discuss calls for that kind of support."

As Emily accepted that, JJ noticed Rossi studying the two of them.

"Sir?" JJ asked.

"Something is a little different about you two than yesterday. What is it?"

Immediately, JJ turned to Emily, asking her a question with just her eyes.

Emily understood and responded verbally. "You might as well tell them, but just share as much as you're comfortable with sharing."

Comforted, JJ turned back to their superiors. "I'm pregnant with twins, and I just got out of a bad relationship last night. Emily is looking after me while I recuperate."

Both Rossi and Hotch congratulated her about her pregnancy, happy that their friend was pregnant and happy that she was excited about it, although they both quickly offered to beat up person who had accosted her.

Since JJ was young enough to be his little sister, Hotch found himself asking, "JJ, when you say 'bad relationship,' just how bad _was_ it?"

"Last night alone, I was airborne and hit a bookshelf."

Hotch and Rossi winced in unison, but said nothing.

"The babies are both fine, and I'm covered in bruises, but my arm is broken and in a cast now." Employing Emily's help, JJ took off her suit jacket and showed off her new plaster accessory. "I've got to wear this for the next eight weeks."

Even at that simple explanation, JJ was beginning to waver. Emily was prepared to jump in to tell them about her own good news to distract them, but didn't have to because Penelope had arrived and surprisingly, BAU Section Chief Erin Strauss was with her. JJ found herself on alert now.

Strauss greeted the underlings as she walked into the office before addressing Hotch and Rossi. "Have you told her yet?"

"No." Hotch said honestly. "We were waiting for you and Agent Garcia."

"Pardon me, m'am," JJ said to Strauss. "But _which_ her are you talking about? There are three of us."

The three senior agents turned to JJ to see that her companions to see that Emily and Penelope had coincidentally arranged themselves on either side of the communications liaison, wanting to protect her from whatever was coming.

"There's been a string of murders in New York City that started late last night, but the murders have been so vicious and so heinous that the police are already scrambling and asking for help. There is also no apparent connection, other than a signature." Strauss explained. "That being said, the primary suspect had been identified, and he has a connection to Agent Jareau; his name is Baylor McMath."

The second JJ heard Baylor's name, her knees buckled, but Emily and Penelope caught her and sat with her on the couch.

Strauss raised an eyebrow. "Agent Jareau?"

JJ took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Baylor got me pregnant nine weeks ago, m'am, and he did this to me."

JJ held up her injured arm for show and Strauss nodded understandingly, although it made her sad to see one of the agents from her favorite unit in such distress.

"Congratulations on your pregnancy, although I'm sorry about your arm." the older woman said sincerely. "The only reason I'm here this morning is to hear it from you first that you will remain objective, should you be questioned at any point by the local authorities."

"I will." JJ said solemnly.

"Good." Strauss approved. "That's all I needed to know."

"Then if that's that," Hotch turned to the trio on the couch. "We're assembling in the round table room in five minutes. Dismissed."

As everyone dispersed, Strauss asked Emily to follow her over to the coffee area.

"Yes, m'am?" Emily asked when she realized that her superior wanted something.

"Coffee?" Strauss offered as she started to make herself a cup.

Emily politely declined. "No, thank you. This is _quite_ a coincidence, but like Agent Jareau, I'm _also_ in the family way."

"Well, my congratulations to you, as well. Hearing that bit of news actually makes what I have to tell you a lot easier."

"Oh?"

"My contacts at Interpol asked me to tell you that a man called Ian Doyle was murdered in a prison riot, and that his boy Declan is moving to a boarding school just outside London to further his education."

Emily's heart jumped for joy, something she never did upon hearing the report of a death, but considering the man in question and her past with him, the happiness was warranted.

"Doyle's dead and Declan is doing well in school?"

Strauss nodded. "Yes."

"That means I'm _free,_ and that I _never_ have to worry about my past coming back to haunt me. It also means that nobody in this unit will _ever_ have to know."

Strauss finished making her coffee, took a sip and said, "Speaking of things that nobody will ever have to know, I trust that you'll keep me appraised of the goings-on in this case?"

Ah, yes. Emily was Erin Strauss' double agent. She was practically blackmailed into the role and had spent the better part of the past six months reporting to Strauss without the others knowing. She did it grudgingly the entire time, but now… things were different.

"No."

Strauss was taken aback; very few people openly defied her orders. "I beg your your pardon, Agent Prentiss?"

"No means _no:_ I will no longer be your snitch, Erin." (Of the underling agents, only Emily could get away with calling Strauss by her first name because the two of them had a long history together) "I will no longer be your eyes and ears inside this unit—I fought _too_ long and _too_ hard on my _own_ to be here and then have our deal hanging over me. If you want answers, look for them _yourself."_

Strauss knew she should reprimand Emily for being insubordinate, but she also knew that the other woman was incredibly strong-willed and would have a battle of the wills with her until she made her point.

"You _love_ them, don't you?"

"Yes. They are my _family,_ and I love them _all_ more than I ever thought I would. If you keep me, I'll tell my parents."

Emily hated resorting to threatening to bring her parents (two very powerful and well-respected ambassadors) into conversations like this one because she hated politics with a passion, but both of her parents had gone to boarding school and college with Strauss, way back in the day. Both of the older Prentisses were still very good friends with Strauss and consequently, the older woman had known Emily for her entire life because she was a family friend to the Prentisses.

Emily's threat seemed to sober Strauss up because she decided to be a big person about things. "I'm sorry, Emily. Be free of me, and give my best to Elizabeth and Maximo."

Elizabeth and Maximo were Emily's parents.

"Thank you, m'am, and I will. Hey, you should go see them: they're both stateside and at the house on Kissinger Lane."

Strauss grinned at the thought of seeing her old friends. "I'll go call them now, then. See you later."

Bidding her superior adieu, Emily departed the coffee area and climbed the short flight of stairs that led into the round table room. When she entered, she saw that everyone was gathered around JJ, just finishing the signing of her cast.

"Emily," Spencer chirped when she saw her. "Did you know about JJ's cast?"

Next to him, Derek immediately gave the young man a playful swat on the side of the head. "Some genius _you_ are, kid. Prentiss' name is on JJ's palm."

"Oh."

Spencer blushed a little and looked at Emily as she took her customary spot next to JJ.

"Then I guess you know she's pregnant, huh? She just told us."

"I knew that, too." Emily smirked. "Plus, JJ is going to be my roommate until her arm heals."

A sudden thought popped into JJ's head and she leaned over to Emily and whispered it into her ear.

Emily raised an eyebrow at JJ when she pulled away. "Really?"

"They're our family, aren't they?"

"Good point."

Antsy now, but only because he was trying to figure them out, Spencer asked, "Are you two a couple?"

"No."

"Not yet."

Their answers had been in unison, with JJ answering second, and if their lives had been a cartoon, that would have been the part where they heard a record scratch.

Emily cleared her throat and laughed nervously. "Okay, that's _really_ not it, but _this_ is: thanks to the marvels of modern medicine, I'm pregnant, too!"

Those who hadn't already known congratulated her before they finally got down to business, with Hotch making the presentation.

"These are Jacob Gomez, Hannah Monroe, and Isaac Bates." he pressed a button on the remote in his hand and made a collage of three very different people and the pictures of their gross remains appear on the screen. "All were found dead in and around The Ramble in Central Park in New York City. Only because of the phone that was dropped at one of the crime scenes, we know that our main suspect is this man, here."

Baylor's picture appeared on the screen and although it humiliated JJ, she felt compelled to add her two cents in.

"I _really_ don't want to talk about it unless there's no choice, but that's Baylor McMath. He's my ex, and he's also the one who got me pregnant and broke my arm."

Hotch took back the conversation before the others could all wander down a rabbit trail that would make JJ uncomfortable by addressing the bespectacled person in the room.

"Garcia?"

She gave him her attention. "Sir?"

"The local authorities invited all of us, and they _especially_ need _you."_

Penelope was taken aback; it wasn't often that Hotch said something like that to her when inviting her join them.

"They do?"

He nodded. "Apparently, the computer system they operate on is antiquated because of budget cuts; a person with your skill-set is most needed in this particular situation."

Penelope immediately started packing up her binder. "Yes, sir."

Hotch turned back to the others, addressing the room at large. "McMath is beginning to spiral, and will no doubt know that people are catching on to him. He's in the wind right now, but at the rate he's going, he will most certainly take a hostage. That is never a good thing, but seeing as Christmas is next week, that means that on top of everything, it's going to be incredibly cold to boot. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"We'll finish debriefing on the plane; wheels up in ten!"


	5. Four

The flight out to New York was two hours long, and when they entered the second hour, they'd finished all of the important things, meaning that they had free time. That's how JJ came to sit with Emily on the couch and have a chat with her.

"Emily?"

The brunette looked up from an email on her phone and smiled at JJ, immediately moving over to make room.

"Hi!"

JJ smiled at her cheerfulness as she sat with her friend. "Hey, I have a question for you."

"I have a question for you, too, but you can go first."

"What was that before we left? With Strauss?"

"Oh, that… I was catching up with her for a minute."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Emily sighed. "You were bound to find out eventually, but there's never been a time in my life when I didn't know her."

"Excuse me?" JJ repeated, feeling stunned now. "Please explain."

"Strauss and my parents were all at the same boarding school in England together from the time they were eleven, all the way until they were eighteen. They all even went to Oxford together, too."

"Wow…"

"She was also the maid of honor at their wedding… and she's my godmother."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was." Emily laughed nervously. "The way the story goes is that my mother and Strauss made friends with each other just before the first lesson started, and in one of their classes, they needed groups of three."

"And then Strauss picked your dad?"

Emily nodded. "He was the last kid standing because nobody knew what to do with the kid from Italy who had a very heavy accent, and I've always found that amusing because Strauss is English, and my mother is American. But I digress, though: Strauss took pity on my dad, called him over to where she was with my mother, and the rest is history."

"That's really cute." JJ smiled. "All of this history means that Erin Strauss is your parents' best friend?"

"Oh, yes. A _lot_ of my childhood memories involve that woman."

"I can't imagine how strange it must be for you to have her as a CO."

"It's _very_ strange."

JJ decided to quit pushing Emily's buttons and changed tracks. "You said you have a question for me?"

"Yes: do you have any plans for Christmas?"

JJ gave a sigh of dejection. "Not this year, no. Everybody else is busy."

Emily was immediately curious because she wondered about JJ as much as JJ wondered about her. "Who exactly constitutes as 'we' in this instance?"

"Just my mom, Sandy, and my big brother, Archer. My dad and my sister have both been dead since I was eleven." JJ said bluntly. "I always go home to Pennsylvania to see my mom, and Archer and his family join us every other year."

"What does Archer and his family do in the off year, then? And where do they live?"

"Archer, Cho, and Kaida live in Drexel, Missouri, now. Cho comes from extreme wealth in Japan because her dad runs a Japanese Fortune 500 company in central Tokyo, and because of all of the money he makes from it, their family has had a timeshare at Tokyo Disneyland over Christmastime since the place opened in 1983. That's where they go in the off year."

"Have you ever been to Tokyo Disneyland?"

JJ nodded, smiling at the memories. "My mom and I were invited along the last time they went, and we had so much fun because we were there for two straight weeks."

"Two weeks in Japan at Disneyland sounds like a dream come true." Emily remarked. "I take it that this year is a Tokyo year, though?"

"Yeah, so he and Cho and Kaida won't even be in the country next week, but neither will my mom, for that matter. She's going with four of her friends on a Disney cruise to the Caribbean."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." JJ confirmed. "She and her friends have always wanted to do this, and now they finally all can. I'm glad I already opted to stay stateside, though."

"The babies giving you grief?"

"No, thank the Lord," JJ glided her good hand over the taut swell that was her middle. "But I'd be scared to be on the train out to Pennsylvania and then get hit with nausea, or something."

"I guess that _is_ a perk." Emily remarked. "Have you ever been alone at Christmas before?"

"No."

"Well, then you might not have to be."

JJ felt her heart lift in hope. "Why's that?"

"This ties into what I was going to ask you, but I just got an email from mother asking me to come stay with her and my dad at their house in Quantico over Christmas, which I plan on doing, but there's also an invitation to bring along any of my friends who don't have a place to go. I just so happen to know now that everyone but you has a Christmas plan. Would you like to come home with me?"

"Yes." JJ answered immediately. "I would _love_ to come spend Christmas with you and your parents."

Emily's heart leapt because she was excited, but also because she wanted to kiss JJ and had to restrain herself. Kissing her in front of Penelope was one thing because she could keep a secret, but if they did it in front of the boys, they would all tease them (lovingly so, of course), but neither of them wanted that. JJ was a little bit less practiced at maintaining her composure because she was shaking like a little puppy that could barely contain its joy.

Wondering if this was a side effect of being under Baylor's thumb, Emily beckoned to JJ.

The blond immediately wiggled closer to Emily and then gave a small squeak of surprise when the brunette stretched out on the couch and pulled her in with her so that the two were cuddling with each other.

JJ wasn't against it at all because being in Emily's arms was very comforting, but she still said, "Emily, everyone is here."

"So? Let 'em look."

Amused by the sassiness, JJ settled against Emily, resting her head against her shoulder. JJ watched as Emily composed a response email to her mother, and even posed for a picture with her so both of the elder Prentisses would be able to see them.

Once Emily was done with that, she let JJ adjust herself until she was comfortable and continued to hold her. Both were wrapped up in their own little world, and neither said anything because nothing had to be: as long as they were together, and both of them were being gentle, they were both at peace… and that was a value that JJ was in the process of relearning because Baylor had robbed her of it, almost completely.

Unsurprisingly, JJ and Emily fell asleep in each other's arms.

Upon seeing this, Hotch found a blanket and spread it over them before sitting back in his chair, passing Rossi, Derek, and Spencer, who were all absorbed in a game of euchre.

Penelope was in the chair across from Hotch, knitting the beginnings of a baby blanket and staring out of the window next to her, looking lost in thought. Hotch hated to interrupt her, but he needed to talk, and as wacky and off-the-wall as Penelope was, she was a very good listener.

"Penelope?"

She looked over at him without breaking pace in her knitting. "Sir?"

"JJ glossed over what happened to her last night; do I really want to know?"

"I can't really say, because I still don't know all the details, myself."

"What about Emily?"

"She found JJ and they've been inseparable ever since, but I think even she only knows ninety-eight percent."

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "And what's the other two percent?"

"The few details that JJ won't share, even with us, until she's _completely_ ready."

"Everyone has their demons." Hotch mused. "Then what is Emily doing?"

"Rehabilitating JJ. Those two are the sisters I never had, and they know it, but when it comes to the two of them, they've got a bond that's in the space between friendship and lovers. Do you understand what I mean?"

Hotch nodded. "That was actually the nature of mine and Haley's bond not long after we met—and we met in high school."

Penelope smiled as she continued to knit; private person though Aaron Hotchner was, he always opened up to her because she was very easy to talk to.

"Then you get that Emily and JJ _need_ each other and are very good for each other and have a bond that I can't touch?"

Again, Hotch nodded. "I completely understand that. Do you think JJ will be okay?"

Penelope resumed looking out the window, remembering her own recovery process from the fallout of the tragedies she'd experienced in the past. Even still, she felt the scars from the losses of her children and her parents.

"In time."

* * *

As was the way when they arrived in the city that would be their home for the week, the team rode in SUVs together to the police precinct that would be hosting them. And because it was an unwritten rule now, Hotch, Spencer, and Rossi always rode together in the first car while JJ, Emily, Derek, (and Penelope, when she was with them) rode together in the second.

Today, Emily and Penelope rode in the back while Derek drove, and JJ was in the front passenger seat. Emily and Penelope were carrying on a conversation with each other while JJ was quiet and rubbing her middle at intervals with her good hand.

"JJ?"

The blond jumped slightly when she realized that her name had been said. "Sorry, what?"

"You're not going to get sick, are you? You've been quiet for awhile."

JJ smiled in amusement. "I'm not going to be ill, I promise you. I was just thinking."

"About what? Baylor?"

"Some of it's about him, yeah."

Derek gave his friend a brief glance before focusing on the road again. "Listen, JJ: you just say the word, and I'll take him down for you, alright?"

"Okay, Derek." JJ said sincerely. "That means a lot."

Matching the sincerity, Derek added, "Is there anything else you want to share?"

"Yes, actually: Penelope gave me that framed photo of Zooey yesterday; it's one of the nicest things anyone has ever given me. Thank you for it."

"I'm happy that you like it, and you're very welcome."

"I'm going to put it on my desk as soon as I can."

Glad to see that his friend was in a better, less distant mood, the dark-skinned agent made happy, casual conversation with the communications liaison all the way to the precinct.

* * *

Once the team got to the station and set up camp in a war room type area just off the bullpen, the one thing that JJ had been both dreading and expecting to happen happened.

"Agent Jareau?"

JJ looked up from her spot at the main table to see that the captain of the precinct, John Aquino, was before her.

"Yes?"

"It's my understanding that you have personal ties to Baylor McMath."

JJ nodded and stood, purposefully framing the shape of her already-noticeable midsection. "That's correct. Would you like to talk to me about him?"

"Yes," Aquino nodded, taking heed of what JJ was doing with her hands. "But only if it isn't any trouble."

"No trouble at all." Well aware of her team watching the exchange and waiting for a certain invitation, JJ tacked on in afterthought, "Is it alright if my colleagues listen in?"

Knowing that the seven visiting FBI agents all outranked him in authority and that they were all on edge because the case directly involved one of them, Aquino made the wise choice of not refusing her.

"Of course, agent. Please follow me."

They all followed him to the area of the division where the interrogation rooms were housed and JJ entered the room first when the door was held open for her. As JJ got settled in her chair, she already felt relieved knowing that just on the other side of the mirror were six people she dearly loved and wouldn't judge her for the things she was about to say.

She'd already been keeping secrets from them for almost half a year, but now she was ready to come clean.

"How did you meet the suspect, Baylor McMath?" Aquino asked as he sat across from JJ.

"It was five months ago the local fitness gym. I'd just ended a relationship less than an hour beforehand because I caught my partner cheating, and the gym was my first choice of places to go because that's where I always go to blow off steam."

"I see." Aquino noted. "What happened after? Did you start a new relationship with McMath right then?"

JJ shook her head. "We became friends with benefits first. The relationship aspect didn't come until a little bit later… and so did the bad things."

"Will you please elaborate on that?"

Although it hurt to talk about the ways that Baylor had abused her (especially the sexual ways) and how he had broken her arm, JJ got through all of it with zero tears and her head held high.

"Thank you for telling me all of that, Agent Jareau; I imagine that getting those things out in the open can't have been easy." Aquino told her. "Would you like to take a break, or perhaps have a drink of water?"

JJ said yes to the question about water, and when a cup was given to her, she drank the refreshing liquid gratefully.

"Do you have any more questions for me?" JJ asked as she set the now-empty cup down on the tabletop in front of her.

"Not many."

"Then go for it."

"I like your attitude." Aquino complimented, mostly very thankful that JJ was being so cooperative with him. "Do you have any idea why McMath would go from Quantico, Virginia to New York City in less than a night?"

"It's probably because he was mad at me and wanted to get away. I don't know too much about his past, and things of that sort." JJ said honestly. "At least, I don't know much past what he told me."

"Can you tell me what he did tell you?"

"He was born here in Manhattan, and he has a twin sister, but they've been orphans since birth because they never knew their father, and their mother died in childbirth."

"No grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins?"

JJ shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"Is there anything you can tell us about McMath's twin, like maybe a name?"

"Baylor never told me her name, but he _did_ say that she's in the NYPD and that she's been without her children or her husband since 9/11."

Aquino began to say something else, but whatever it was, it never got out because the door banged open and Hotch hurried into the room, looking like someone had lit a fire under him.

"Hotch?" JJ questioned, standing immediately.

"McMath struck again," he said, speaking directly to her. "And he hasn't done any killing, but there was a mother was carjacked up in the Upper East Side, near the East Harlem Border."

JJ put her good hand over her heart as she felt fear begin to mount inside it. "Has an Amber Alert been issued, and how many children were involved?"

"An alert is being put out as we speak, and there are two children involved: a three-year-old girl, and her baby sister, but JJ, you'll never believe who the mother is."

JJ's brain already hurt too much to even warrant a guess. "Dear God, who?"

"JJ, it's _Elle."_


	6. Five

On the other side of the glass, Emily was taken aback as Penelope, Spencer, Derek, and even Rossi all give a collective gasp at the mention of the name Elle.

"Umm… you guys?" Emily looked at her friends in confusion, her eyes lingering particularly on Derek, who was perched atop a nearby low bookshelf, being comforted by Penelope. "Obviously, Elle is important; was she one of us?"

Penelope nodded. "She was part of the team for awhile before you arrived."

"Was she the one who was shot?" Emily asked, recalling a piece of information that she'd heard around the time of Penelope's own shooting.

The tech analyst nodded, but said nothing, so Rossi chimed in, "I never met her, either, but from what I've heard, she's lovely, quick on her feet, and brilliant, but also headstrong."

"That's Elle Greenaway to a t," Spencer confirmed. "But we just don't talk about her."

Emily's next inquiry came with a dose of caution. "Why?"

"She spun out pretty badly, and the crash and burn was worse."

"And," Penelope added softly. "We didn't know until quite literally just now that she had even moved to New York after getting out of Quantico."

"Anything else?" Emily prompted. "Elle must mean a lot if all of you gasped."

"She was Derek's old partner."

Before Emily could say anything to that, JJ, Hotch, and Aquino exited the interrogation room with JJ going straight to Derek.

"You and I are going over to Saint Vincent's hospital to see Elle." she told him. "Think you can handle that?"

"Uh-huh." Derek slid off the bookshelf and stretched. "Let's go."

Leaving the rest of the team in Hotch's capable hands and promising to call with updates, Derek and JJ left.

* * *

Because their job took them all over the country, the BAU team had been to New York City enough times to know their way around it pretty well.

Even with the use of the car sirens, they were at the hospital faster than JJ had time to process because she was making calls to Elle's doctor to identify herself and Derek so they'd be able to learn about Elle's condition and be able to see her when they arrived.

Upon arrival, though, JJ noticed that Derek was dangerously quiet, no doubt filling with even more contempt for Baylor than he already had. Knowing Derek as she did and that he had a tendency to go on a crusade when someone he cared about was hurt or in danger, JJ decided that she had to keep her colleague in check.

She didn't get a chance to do it until they were heading to the urgent care ward and weren't too far from Elle's room. JJ surprised Derek by pushing him against the wall with her good hand, pinning him in place.

"JJ, what the hell?" Derek protested; the petite woman, even when handicapped and pregnant, was deceptively strong.

"Look, I know you want to catch Baylor, mostly out of your loyalty to me and to Elle, but _listen to me:_ she was dragged out of her car, hit her head, and broke a limb."

"So Baylor was violent enough to break your arm _and_ Elle's?"

"Technically, my arm and Elle's ankle."

"How did that happen if she was taken from her car…?"

"That is neither here nor there." JJ cut in. "What _is_ important is that Elle is a scared mama right now, _and_ she's in pain. I'm as concerned about her as you are, but we can't go in there, super worked up because the last thing we need is for her to be pushed back into a state of hysterics."

"Wait: _back_ into a state of hysterics?"

"The event sent Elle spiraling into hysterics and she had to be sedated. She's waking up now, and her mother, Luna Greenaway, is here."

"I'll talk to her," Derek decided. "And you talk to Elle."

"Precisely what I was thinking; I'm glad we're on the same page now." JJ told him. "You good?"

"Yeah."

JJ let go of Derek and straightened out the wrinkles she'd created in Derek's shirt. "Good man. Let's go."

Covered in bruises, dressed in a hospital gown, and hooked up to a saline IV and monitoring wires with her injured (and casted) leg propped up on a pillow, Elle Greenaway looked to be a sorry, almost pathetic sight. She was a little confused as to why two of her former teammates had suddenly appeared, but she didn't turn them away, despite the darkness of the hour.

"Derek? JJ?" Elle questioned as she quickly hugged them. "What in the world are you guys doing in New York?"

"You know them, angel?" Luna asked as she watched the scene play out.

"Yes, mom." Elle told them as the others backed away a bit. "These are old friends, Jennifer Jareau and Derek Morgan. I worked with them in Quantico, and Derek was my partner."

Luna raised her eyebrows. "What is the BAU doing, looking for Hope and Vivian? Isn't this a local matter?"

Derek stepped in. "Missus Greenaway, why don't we go for a walk, maybe find some coffee?"

"What about Elle?"

"I'll take care of her." JJ promised. "Please don't worry, Missus Greenaway."

When JJ and Elle were alone, she pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat down, leaning back in the seat because she was already learning that carrying twins was no walk in the park.

"How are you holding up? I didn't know you had kids."

Elle sighed shakily. "I adopted Hope; she's my niece, and her parents were junkies. I rescued her from that hellhole of a house she lived in because she was almost starving, a little underweight, and crying her eyes out. Her parents had both OD'd on speed."

"Are you rehabilitating Hope?" JJ asked, thinking of how Emily was doing that with her.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that because she's come quite a ways in the three months I've had her. She's very sweet, and has recently started trusting people besides my mom and me. Her parents messed her up pretty badly."

JJ felt both pity and pride for the little girl, even though she hadn't met her yet.

Come on, JJ, she told herself. Keep your head in the game.

"Can you talk to me about Vivian? Where is _her_ father?"

"All I know about _that_ bastard is that he's the stranger who raped me on the subway." Elle sighed sadly but smiled as she continued. "I still adore, cherish, and love my sweet little Vivian, though, no matter how she was made."

JJ nodded understandingly, thinking of all the times Baylor had raped her in the past five months when she made even the slightest mistake or displeased him in any way, whatsoever. She wondered—just for a second—if one of those kinds of encounters with Baylor that had created her babies, or if it had been one of the consensual ones, but then in the very next second, she decided that she never ever wanted to try to do the math on that because she'd just torture herself, otherwise.

Even as her mind wandered for those brief seconds, she rested her damaged arm in her lap while with her free hand, she rubbed her middle, thinking of her beautiful, innocent, yet-to-be-born babies.

Elle noticed. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes." JJ smiled proudly. "Twins."

"Congratulations."

Elle meant it, but her bottom lip trembled because the sight of JJ's baby belly was a stark reminder that she was away from her own babies.

"If you're here at the hospital with Derek, that means the others are here, too? Hotch, Spencer, Penelope, Gideon?"

"The team is here in the city, yes, and what happened to you is actually connected to the case, but there are some changes in the roster: Gideon is gone, and we have two new people."

Elle couldn't help it, but her natural curiosity got the best of her. "Was it because of me?"

"Stay with me, Elle." JJ coaxed. "Is there anything important you can think of about Hope and Vivian that we should know, or that will help us?"

Though Elle's head was throbbing, she was able to concentrate hard enough to describe what her daughters had been wearing at the time of their abduction. That was definitely a big help.

"Elle," JJ said at the end. "We already know that Hope is three, but what about Vivian? How old is she?"

"Viv is two months old!" Elle rubbed at her eyes, determined to keep from crying for as long as possible. "JJ can you please bring me that bag over on the couch?"

Spotting a generic plastic drawstring bag labeled 'Patient Belongings,' JJ retrieved it and handed it to Elle. The brunette rifled through the contents (what she'd been wearing at the time of the carjacking) and pulled out a small blue pouch decorated with different pictures of elephants.

"What's this?" JJ asked, accepting it when Elle handed it to her.

"Hope wears glasses because she's two steps from being legally blind without them, and she's also an asthmatic. Both of those problems have cropped up because her mother—my idiot sister—did drugs when she was pregnant with her. Hope's inhaler and refill cartridges are in there."

JJ tucked the pouch into one of her spacious jacket pockets. "I'll make sure this gets directly to the team."

Elle thanked her, then said, "I have to ask you something before Derek returns with my mom."

"Yes?"

"Did the man who did all this to me get you pregnant and break your arm? _You_ wouldn't be talking to me if that wasn't even in the _neighborhood_ of possibility."

JJ sighed and then laughed, although it was hollow; Elle must have picked up her finely-tuned skills of perception during her days in the sex crimes unit.

"He did, but that's all I can say."

"Of course. Please find my babies."

"We will, Elle. We will."

Unable to keep her tears at bay any longer, Elle began to cry all over again, but Derek had returned with Luna, and once she saw her firstborn in distress, the elder Greenaway hurried to her side to hold her.

Derek and JJ left quietly.

* * *

Hours later, they were still no closer to finding any trace of Baylor, Hope, or Vivian, and everybody was feeling the time constraint, but none more so than JJ, especially when it got dark.

At one point, she was feeling so overwhelmed with guilt that she ducked out of the teams' area and escaped to a small, unused conference room down the hall. Recognizing her "Help me! I'm about to go down a rabbit hole!" side of her personality and body language coming in to play, Emily and Penelope followed her.

When they found her in the conference room, the light was on and she was sitting on the edge of the desk. She also happened to be in tears and there was a tissue box and a pile of tissues next to her.

"JJ," Penelope began when they sat with her. "This _isn't_ your fault."

"No, Penelope?" JJ raised an eyebrow. "My _abuser_ is on the loose and has _killed_ people, and now he's hurt a former colleague of ours and kidnapped her sweet little daughters! If I'd just fought Baylor a little _harder,_ I could have incapacitated him enough to knock him out, and then we wouldn't even have to be here at all! It _is_ my fault!"

Calmly, Emily spoke up. "If you _had_ fought back, you could have knocked him out, but you could have broken more than an arm, and very possibly lost both of the babies."

Emily's words actually sobered JJ up a great deal, and the blond apologized to Penelope for being snarky before she let out a sad sigh.

"I would like to believe that since Baylor didn't kill me when he was angry enough to, he will be good to Hope and Vivian, but…"

"But what?" Penelope prompted.

"Hope is an asthmatic and is almost legally blind, plus Vivian is so tiny that she still has to be breastfeeding!" JJ blinked back her tears. "They must be hungry, cold, and scared right now! The sun just went down, too, and _every_ kid is afraid of the dark!"

JJ began to cry more because she really couldn't help it, so Emily and Penelope very patiently encouraged her to cry it all out.

JJ did, and afterwards, she suddenly felt very sleepy.

Emily and Penelope both saw JJ's drowsiness and began to work on convincing her to go back to the hotel early to catch up on sleep, on account of how hectic the last twenty-four hours had been. JJ was just beginning to cave when Hotch appeared, almost out of nowhere, and looking almost in a daze.

He snapped back to reality when he realized that JJ, Emily, and Penelope were watching him out of concern.

"Oh… I didn't realize that this was where you'd all disappeared to; I thought I was going to be alone…"

"We can go, if you like, sir." Emily said quickly. "We were just about to find a uniform to drive JJ back to the hotel because she's nearly dead on her feet."

Hotch merely nodded, his head still too focused on a piece of news he'd just heard from his own personal home front. Genuinely concerned, JJ, Emily, and Penelope gathered around him.

 _"Are_ you okay?" Emily asked.

Hotch actually managed a smile. "Haley just called with some news that neither of us expected, but is not unwelcome: we're going to be parents again!"

JJ, Emily, and Penelope congratulated him and he was happy for it, but it was only a few moments later that he, too, noticed JJ's drowsiness.

"Okay, JJ: you really _do_ need to go to bed." Hotch told her.

"But what about Hope and Vivian?"

"I will personally call you if there are any updates."

When JJ began to protest, Hotch raised an eyebrow.

"Do I need to make that an order?"

Again, JJ sobered up: since she wasn't technically a profiler, she didn't answer to Hotch in the same way that the others did and was even on an equal playing turf with him when it came to rank, she knew he wouldn't play that particular card unless he was very concerned.

"No, Aaron."

"Very good." he turned from her to her companions. "I need you two for one hour more and then you can go back to the hotel, too."

Penelope promptly followed Hotch out of the room, but Emily hung back.

"You going to be alright?"

"All things considered, all I can say is that I suppose I will be."

Emily kissed JJ on the forehead and then brought JJ's fingertips to her lips and kissed those, too.

"You are _so_ important to me, Jennifer. _So_ important." Emily told her. "I want you to know that."

"Every time I'm with you, I do." JJ replied. "I thank God for you, Emily, and talking to a higher power is not an easy thing for me to do anymore."

JJ really wanted to say, "I love you" to Emily because she really did, but the timing just didn't feel right. (Little did she know that Emily thought the same thing) Maybe after this case was over.

Instead of saying those three words, JJ planted a kiss on Emily's cheek and said, "Let's go find someone to drive me back to the hotel."

They found someone, an officer, to drive JJ back. On the ride to the hotel, JJ became curious about her, and started a conversation.

"What's your name?"

"Morrison." the officer answered. "You're Agent Jareau, right?"

JJ nodded. "Uh-huh. What's your first name?"

"Madalyn, but everyone calls me Maddie. You can, too."

"Okay, Maddie."

They continued driving down one of the avenues, making casual conversation, and then suddenly, JJ's heart skipped a beat: they'd missed the hotel.

"Maddie, we just passed my hotel."

"I know."

Her answer was eerily calm, almost _cheerful,_ although in a sick, twisted way. They came to a stoplight, and Madalyn locked the car doors before flashing JJ a sinister smile.

That's when JJ felt a jolt of recognition ripple through her body so strong that it almost made her feel as though she was going to vomit.

 _"You're_ Baylor's twin sister?"

"Yep."

In a quick motion, Madalyn unholstered JJ's gun and pointed it at her middle, making JJ stiffen up immediately and start praying to a God that she hadn't believed in since she was eleven.

"I'm going to take you to him, but we need to make a pit stop first. If you deviate from the plan at all or call anyone, I will take the safety off your gun and shoot you with it, precious cargo or not. Tell me yes if you understand."

"Yes."

Pleased, Madalyn moved the gun away and drove on.

JJ leaned back in her seat and turned to look out her window, away from her kidnapper, so she didn't have to see how scared she was.

For now, all she could do was just settle in for the ride.


	7. Six

The main part of JJ's job description revolved around public relations, and she quite liked it because she had always been very good at public speaking, a skill that had served her well when she graduated egriga cum laude in high school, college, and the FBI Academy, and had to give speeches at each of her graduation ceremonies.

Being a pretty face and level-headed in the middle of a media frenzy wasn't all JJ was good for, though.

She also had a government-issued weapon that she had used many times in the field over the years and always kept in tip-top shape, and while JJ had never been a gun enthusiast or anything of the sort when she was growing up, when it came down to it, her weapon was one of her most prized possessions. JJ was also a crack shot with it, and the last time she'd gone to the shooting range with Derek, he'd nicknamed her 'Ace' when he saw her skill, although that was just a thing between the two of them.

All of that being said, JJ had also been properly educated on what to do in the case of her own abduction (because in the field, you never knew) but there was no part in that seminar about being abducted while pregnant.

Cooperation with a kidnapper was imperative, especially when the kidnapper was crazy, but now… JJ had to improvise because the stakes were even higher.

* * *

At the moment, JJ and Madalyn had pulled up in front of a Korean corner dollar grocery store.

"What are we doing here?" JJ asked.

Madalyn handed her a handful cash, and JJ quickly pocketed it.

"You've got fifteen minutes to collect supplies for yourself and the children." Madalyn told her. "If you go a minute over, I'm coming in after you. Understand?"

Quickly making note of the time on the car clock through her peripheral vision, JJ nodded. "I do."

"Good. Now hurry up and go."

Once in the store, JJ noticed that while most of the patrons and employees were Korean, and that was the main language being spoken, there were English labels listing the description of the products, as well as the prices for everything. Small favors were always a good thing.

Thanks to the easy-to-read labels, JJ was able to find food for her and Hope, and formula, bottles, and filtered water for Vivian. At the very last minute, she even found pajamas, new outfits, child-sized blankets, and particularly for Hope, a purple stuffed elephant.

Just before JJ made it to the checkout line, she counted the cash that Madalyn had given her and was quite relieved to see that it would cover everything.

To her surprise, though, she'd also pulled out one of her business cards and an ink pen. Upon sudden inspiration, and with some difficulty because she was right-handed now, she wrote a message on the back of the card and slipped it in with the bills she was going to pay with.

When she was finally at the checkout, the bag boy noticed JJ's handicap as he put her things away and double-bagged the first paper bag.

"Do you need help taking your things out to your car?"

JJ had to politely decline because Madalyn would probably shoot the boy on sight, and he didn't look any older than sixteen.

"No, thank you, but that's kind of you to offer." she told him as she paid the cashier. "I'll be able to manage."

The boy didn't press the issue and handed her the bags, bidding her a good night.

"Cutting it awfully close." Madalyn told JJ as she got back in the car and put her bag at her feet before she buckled her seatbelt. "Turn around."

JJ did as she was told and found herself getting blindfolded by Madalyn. The next thing she knew, they were off again.

The technical analyst was sure that Madalyn was taking her time with driving because by the time the car came to a final stop, she'd lost all track of where they were, although when the car was off and she stepped out, her instincts told her that they were in a domestic garage of some sort.

Though JJ couldn't see worth a grain of salt because of how thick the blindfold was, for some reason, when Madalyn gave her the grocery bag, it felt a touch heavier. That concerned her.

"Step lively, now." Madalyn told JJ as she began to frogmarch her in a certain direction.

The two walked into what felt like a house, and after a few moments, they stopped.

"Okay!" Madalyn called out to the room at large. "What now?"

In the next second, JJ heard a high-pitched whizzing sound and she hardly had time to process that the sound belonged to a bullet being shot from a gun with a good, but not top-notch silencer on it before she heard a second all-too-familiar sound: a lifeless body crumpling to the ground.

"Baylor, I know you're there!" JJ faced straight ahead as she spoke, as that had been the direction from whence the shot had come. "Your own twin, though? _Really?"_

Baylor holstered his gun, walked up to JJ, and then…

 _SLAP!_

JJ cried out in pain and surprise as Baylor's hand made contact with her face. Baylor proceeded to take off JJ's blindfold and when they locked eyes, she stared him down, determined to look her own monster in the eye. She wasn't going to show him fear. Not this time.

"That's one strike already," Baylor warned her. "But as for Maddie, she was always disposable. You're here because I need you to take care of those brats upstairs until I figure out what to do; I had _no_ plans to go down for _kidnapping children."_

Shuddering inwardly at the thought of what he'd do to her if Hope and Vivian hadn't been factored into this crazy night, JJ looked around for a way out of the room, but got distracted when she saw something delicate and metallic on the nearby countertop: a tiny pair of eyeglasses.

"You took Hope's glasses?" JJ shrieked. "She's almost _blind_ without them!"

 _SLAP!_

"We have _neighbors,_ JJ, so I advise you to keep your voice down." Baylor snarled. "And that was your second strike. I took her glasses to make her stop crying, and it worked because she hasn't made a peep since."

JJ continued to stare him down. "Give me Hope's glasses. Now."

"A bit demanding, aren't we?"

"If you don't, I'll scream and that'll wake the neighbors. And you want me to care for Hope and Vivian, right? Part of that job is having their basic needs met, like sight!"

Rolling his eyes but realizing that JJ was right, Baylor put Hope's glasses in one of JJ's jacket pockets and then beckoned for her to follow him.

"Come on, but don't step in Maddie's blood. It's a shame I had to kill her in her own house, but it would be another shame if her blood got smeared here."

Carefully skirting around Madalyn's lifeless body as it oozed blood from the gunshot in the head, JJ followed Baylor.

* * *

The room that Baylor locked JJ into was on the second floor, and it was at first cast in gloom and moonlight. When JJ turned on a lamp next to the door, her heart sank at what she saw: a nursery, with one half meant for a baby girl while the opposite side was meant for a little girl in the Pre-K age range. A framed picture by the lamp that JJ had turned on bore a message: _Welcome Home, Anya & Bella!_

So Madalyn had been expecting children through adoption at one point, but judging from the look of things, Anya and Bella had never made it home.

A tiny "Ow!" followed by the loud sound of a baby's giggles brought JJ back to reality. She extracted Hope's glasses from her pocket, took off her jacket and extracted the comfort items from her shopping bag and approached the area where she'd heard Hope, although she didn't get too close. No need to spook the poor girl.

"Hope?" JJ called out as she laid the items in her arms on display. "My name is JJ, and I'm friends with your Aunt Elle."

At this, a small child bearing a strong resemblance to Elle emerged from behind the crib, rubbing a spot on her forehead.

"I bumped my head." she explained, although she was looking in the wrong direction.

She really _is_ almost blind, JJ thought. "Wrong way, sweet pea. Just follow the sound of my voice, and I'll catch you when you come close… There's a good girl… Nope, that's a little _too_ far…"

Through some trial and error, Hope found her to JJ's arms and was immediately thrilled to pieces when JJ helped her put her glasses on her face.

Hope gasped in delight when she saw JJ and planted a few delicate, little girl kisses on the uninjured side of her visitor's face.

"Wow!" she exclaimed.

"What is it, Hope?" JJ asked, genuinely surprised by her joy because she was now recalling Elle's comment about her niece having trust issues.

"You're so pretty." Hope caressed JJ's face, wanting to make sure she was there. "Just like Aunt Elle."

JJ didn't know what to say to that, but she could help but smile a little. Maybe having Hope and Vivian with her would make this experience less of an unbearable one.

"JJ? Vivian is making hungry noises!"

JJ got to her feet to see that Hope had already moved away and was now trying to soothe her baby cousin.

"Sweet pea," JJ said to Hope as she approached the crib. "Will you please go fetch that bag by the door for me? It's got food for you and me, and everything Hope needs for her own meal."

As Hope occupied herself with following JJ's request, JJ leaned over the crib to look at the baby. Vivian looked exactly how Elle must have at that age, and when she caught sight of JJ, she smiled a smile that was straight from her mother.

"Hello, sweet Vivian." JJ cooed. "I'm going to take care of you for awhile."

Vivian gave a happy coo, just glad to see a new face.

"You've just got to be patient with me," JJ told her. "Because I've only got one one good hand."

JJ managed to pick the baby up and carry her over to the corner and sat on the floor with her back against the wall. With help from Hope (and some encouragement when she noticed the handicap), JJ made a bottle for Vivian and began to feed her.

Once Vivian relaxed in JJ's hold, JJ turned to Hope to see that she had claimed one of the new blankets for her own, and had even found the stuffed elephant. She even found something else that made her just as happy as the blanket and the elephant: her inhaler pouch.

"You brought it!" Hope crowed, rushing over and hugging her new friend. "Thank you!"

Realizing that Madalyn must've nicked the pouch before leaving the station-house, JJ took the thanks in stride.

"You're very welcome, sweet pea. Why don't you come sit with me and I'll tell you and Vivian a story?"

Hope immediately parked herself on the floor next to JJ, her guardian angel, her anchor. "Then you and me will get food?"

JJ nodded. "Mhm, now stick with me, sweet pea. Ever heard the story of Robin Hood?"

"Nope!" Hope answered honestly.

"He stole from the rich to give to the poor, and he _still_ wound up getting married to the princess at the end!"

Hope's mouth dropped open in surprise; she was immediately hooked.

"Ready? Here we go!"

JJ began telling her new friend her favorite childhood story, although mostly to distract herself.

She didn't even want to wonder if the cashier back the market had gotten her message, and she most certainly didn't want to wonder how long it would take for the rest of the team to realize that she hadn't made it back to the hotel at all.

Wondering would consume her.


	8. Seven

"Oh, I'm _so_ tired." Emily sighed, holding a hand to the small bulge in her middle. "This kid is draining so much of my energy already."

"Come on, Emily." Penelope encouraged. "We're almost there, but we've gotta be quiet so we don't wake JJ."

"Don't wake JJ. Got it."

The rest of the team had finally gone back to their hotel, and Emily was bushed, although she was sure that it had more something to do with being pregnant at an age that was just outside of the normal window for most women.

At any rate, she trotted alongside Penelope. All she could think about was getting ready for the night and then crawling into bed with JJ.

And they always shared a room when they travelled places because they were the women, and on the occasions Penelope was with them, Emily and JJ shared a bed so Penelope could have her own, so it wasn't like sleeping together (in the literal way) was a foreign concept, but now that they were flirting with each other whenever they got the chance, things were a little… different.

When Emily had told JJ that she wanted her, she had really meant that she'd wanted her in more ways than one.

"Hmm." Penelope hummed as they entered their suite and her eyes fell on JJ's and Emily's empty bed. "Maybe she got up to satisfy a craving."

"Yeah, maybe…"

Emily took her phone out of her coat pocket, wanting to keep it close; the hair on the back of her neck was on end, and that was never a good sign.

"JJ?"

No answer. Even JJ's jacket and purse were nowhere to be seen.

It wasn't like their suite was terribly big, but Emily's profiler instincts had suddenly kicked into overdrive, and she didn't know why.

At least Penelope was picking up on her nervous energy, but that was to be expected because she always had a certain sense about things, no matter how low or high someone's nervousness level was.

"E," she addressed the dark-haired woman. "JJ isn't here. I just checked the bathroom and the balcony. Why don't you try calling her?"

Emily did, but…

"No dice, PG. Her phone is going straight to voicemail." Emily reported. "Am I the only one of us who thinks that something is dangerously amiss?"

"Uh-uh," Penelope was already at the desk by the balcony, her computer open to its data-retrieval program. "And to quote various characters from Star Wars, 'I have a bad feeling about this.' A _very_ bad one."

Emily sank into the armchair next to the desk, her phone still in hand. "Are you tracing her movements through the GPS on her phone?"

Penelope nodded. "Yes, and I want you to be ready to call Hotch because it's looking more and more like that officer JJ left the station-house with kidnapped her… oh, dear…"

"What?" Emily leaned over to see Penelope's computer screen. "Show me."

The two friends were looking at a map of Manhattan, overlaid with road routes, and when Emily noticed a moving dot on the screen with a purple trail protruding from its back, Penelope explained what it was.

"That's JJ, and where she was going before the signal drops. It looks like she was taken from where we are now in the Upper East Side, through both sections of Midtown, and then to the Queensboro Bridge. That's when the signal drops, but it looks like our sweet JJ is in Queens."

Emily checked her watch, doing some calculations. "And she's already been gone for an hour. Do you think she's been brought to Baylor? That would mean JJ's kidnapper is the elusive twin sister she mentioned."

"That's what I think, too." Penelope picked up her phone and got it ready to dial. "You call Hotch, since he's sharing a room with Rossi, and I'll call Derek because he's bunking with Spencer."

Emily agreed and began dialing.

One group conference later, the BAU team was arriving back at the station-house that they didn't think they'd see again until morning.

Captain Aquino hadn't left yet, and he was briefed by Hotch via telephone call on the ride over, so that by the time they were all setting up camp in their work area again, he was completely up-to-date on the situation.

Before he could say anything, though, they were joined by two civilians: a young woman in her twenties, and a boy who looked like he was her teenage brother. It was the cashier and the bag boy from the market that JJ had encountered. Both siblings were clearly of Korean descent, and luckily, spoke in comprehensible English.

"Is one of you Emily?" the young woman asked, her voice heavy with a Korean accent.

Glad to be the resident linguist and also that she had a gift for understanding accents because she'd grown up hearing her father's heavy Italian one, Emily stepped forward.

"I am. What are your names?"

"My name is Moon," she said of herself before indicating her companion. "And this is my brother, Park. You are FBI?"

"Yes."

Moon seemed nervous about what she had to say, but Park encouraged her to keep going.

"We were on our shift together at out uncle's grocery store, and your friend Jennifer came through our checkout line."

Moon handed over the card JJ had given her, and although she had put it in a plastic bag, Emily still pulled out a pair of plastic gloves from her pocket and handled the bag with them.

"We noticed that she was polite enough, but she seemed a little off… like she was afraid of something, and also nervous at the same time."

For good measure, Park chimed in, "I noticed that her arm is in a cast and I offered to help her take her bag out to her car, but that made her seem even more nervous."

Emily turned the plastic baggie over so she was looking at the back of the card, and there, in JJ's wobbly right-handed script was a short message that sent a chill through her bones: _Help me. Ask for Emily._

She handed the bag a gloves over to Rossi, who was a few paces behind her before turning back to Moon and Park.

"How long ago did you see her?"

"An hour, at the most." answered Moon. "We would have come sooner, but our uncle is very strict and wouldn't have let us leave since we'd already had our breaks. Our shift ended at the same time, and we came straight over."

"And we appreciate that." Emily said sincerely. "Why don't we go somewhere quiet and I'll take a statement from you two? We need to all of the exact details of what happened."

Telling Emily that she'd act as Park's guardian since she was over eighteen, Moon agreed. Park did, too, and they followed Emily away to a quiet room, providing the name of their uncle's grocery store to Penelope as they went. Spencer brought up the rear, wanting to sit in on the interview since he was chronologically closer in age to Moon and Park than Emily was.

That left Penelope at her computer in full-on hacker mode, while Hotch, Rossi, Derek, and Captain Aquino stood a few feet away, gathered in a circle.

Hotch turned to the captain. "JJ was last seen with one of your people. Can you look out at the bullpen and tell me who isn't here that should be?"

Aquino scanned the room for a moment and then sighed. "It's one of my transfers, Maddie Morrison."

"You say her name with agitation; is Morrison trouble?" asked Rossi.

"More like she's a walking _sob story:_ it's only ever been her and her brother, she was widowed on September 11th, and then a month beforehand, she and her husband were set to adopt these two sisters, Anya and Bella, but things fell though."

"Dare I ask what happened to Anya and Bella?"

"I think it goes that Anya passed away from SIDS and Bella couldn't handle the loss of her sister and literally became so sick with grief that it killed her. Anya was three months old, and Bella was almost four; they were all each other had left because their parents died not long after Anya was born."

"That is a _lot_ of trauma for any one person to go through, especially someone on the police force. How is she still here?"

"You mean, how hasn't Maddie burned out yet?"

Rossi nodded. "Yes."

"Maddie Morrison may have had a very sad past, but mentally, physically, and psychologically, she isn't to be underestimated. She's the sharpest transfer I have."

Derek, who had been observing the conversation this whole time, asked a question of his own. "Would you put it past her to be this bold, kidnapping an FBI agent?"

"Up until now, I would have said no, but things have clearly changed."

"You said she's a transfer?"

"We were seriously undermanned and received a batch of people from Queens and Brooklyn, respectively." Aquino confirmed. "She's from the fiftieth, out in Queens."

"Do you have a hardcopy of her service record here?"

Aquino nodded. "It came over when she did; I'll go get it."

Derek thanked Aquino as he left the room and turned back to Hotch and Rossi.

"Are you guys connecting the dots yet?"

"The time factor of five months, for one, is already putting a big red flag for me." Hotch said. "JJ said in her interview that that was when she met Baylor."

"JJ also mentioned that he has a sister who works here in the city, " added Rossi. "But she doesn't know her name."

Derek rounded the thought train out. "Too much of what we've learned today alone makes it sound like way more than a long string of coincidences. Maddie Morrison took JJ, yes, but she _has_ to be Baylor's twin."

"And she kept her married name." Hotch observed. "My mother did that after my dad died when my brother and I were kids."

"You guys!" Penelope called out suddenly from her spot at her computer. "I did it!"

The guys gathered around her with Derek saying, "What did you do, Baby Girl? Be specific."

The blond pointed at her screen, which was showing security camera footage. "I hacked in the to the system of the grocery store where Moon and Park work, and I found JJ. She's there."

Penelope indicated a person on the screen, and sure enough, it was JJ, dressed as they'd last seen her. She was using her good hand to steer a shopping cart, and periodically, she would stop to inspect a product on one of the shelves. If it met the specificity of what she was looking for, she would add it into her cart.

Seeing that she had the guys' attention, Penelope rewound the footage a frame, paused it, and blew it up.

"Look at what JJ is holding." Penelope told them. "The product name is in Korean, but the picture on the bag makes it very clear what the product is."

Hotch realized first. "Those are _diapers."_

"Diapers?" Rossi echoed questioningly.

Derek nodded. "She's collecting supplies because she was brought to wherever Elle's daughters are. JJ has been turned into a nanny."

Hotch looked back at Penelope. "Have you been able to find JJ when she arrived or left?"

"Not yet, sir. I only just found this, but I will keep going."

"Good."

Hotch had to force himself to look away from the computer monitor because while JJ was looking directly at the security camera, knowing that Penelope would be scouring the network for her, the screenshot captured something else that Hotch didn't need burned into his brain: JJ's expression.

She was terrified.


	9. Eight

Terrified wasn't too far off in describing JJ's mood at that exact moment, actually.

Not long after she got Hope and Vivian to fall asleep while she told them the story of Robin Hood again, Baylor crept into the room and forced her to follow him, but to also hand over her gun to him. Everything about that demand was a bad idea, but JJ was had already had her second strike, and as a result, even more determined to get herself, Hope, and Vivian out of the house alive.

* * *

"What are we in _here_ for, Baylor?"

He had brought her into what looked like Madalyn's bedroom and forced her to sit on the bed. JJ did as she was told, silently wishing and hoping that he wasn't going to do to her what he had done so many times in the past five months.

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out?" JJ asked blankly. "That you're the reason my team even _came_ to New York? Yes. Why you're doing what you're _doing?_ No."

"Then let me educate you, JJ, but there is one thing that I need to say first." Baylor sat on the bed, smirking when JJ immediately scurried to the other end. "If you'd just been good from the _start_ and taken my money to get an abortion, then things would be _fine,_ and you wouldn't even have a broken arm."

Baylor pointed to JJ's cast.

 _"That_ is _your_ fault."

Appeal to him, JJ thought. "What can I do to make this up to you, Baylor?"

JJ hated that she could feel her sinking back into the realm of fear in her life that Baylor occupied, but then she remembered that Emily and the others had to realize by now that she was missing, which meant that right at that moment, they had to be working around the clock to look for her and the girls.

"I'll think of something." Baylor said as idea after idea began pouring into his head. "But you know, if our talk at your place had gone the way I wanted, then I would have been able to tell you something very important, JJ."

"What might that be?"

"Not only is my firm _downsizing,_ butthey also let a bunch of people go, including me! Do you know how long I worked at that place?"

Baylor was a touch older than JJ's thirty years, so the number that he was thinking of was very significant.

"Since you were eighteen, right?"

Baylor nodded. "And the severance check that they gave me was worth _pennies!_ After all those years, and number like _that_ was a slap in the face!"

"And then you came back home to start _killing?_ Baylor, _why?"_

He flashed her a dangerous, crazed smile, akin to the one Madalyn had given her earlier.

"Because I _wanted_ to, and once I started, it felt _good._ I really didn't anticipate the kids being in the car when I took it, but when Maddie called to say that your people were at her precinct and figuring out how to catch me, I just knew that I had to have you."

JJ said nothing because now she was thinking even more about how all she wanted was to be safe in Emily's arms.

Unfortunately, that was when an idea popped into Baylor's head, but it was more about how to mess with JJ. This was going to be fun.

"Of course, now that those people from the park are dead and my sister are dead, I have to go and round things out." Baylor continued. "I've decided to make things interesting by going after one of your own, but we both know who I mean."

"You leave Emily alone!" JJ cried. "She doesn't even _know_ you!"

Baylor ignored JJ. "I wonder if she'll be as easy as you are... or if she'll bleed like a stuck pig. I'll have to see when I find her."

JJ wanted to scream, but no sound came out because the sound had died in her throat. The thought of Baylor going after Emily was the most frightening thing. It was even more frightening that she didn't have any way to _warn_ Emily.

The number one thing, though, topping JJ's list of things that frightened her about the idea of Baylor going after Emily was that she loved her so deeply that she didn't want to think of life where Emily and her baby weren't there. It would be her fault if they weren't.

So a second scream died in her throat.

Seeing that she was throughly rattled, Baylor smirked again.

"I'll see you later, JJ, but first..."

He got off the bed and before JJ could even blink, he had undone the button and zipper on her pants and yanked them off her.

JJ immediately pulled her shirt down with her good hand, instinctively wanting to protect as much of herself as she could, even though the length of her shirt wasn't much help.

"I did that," Baylor told her, slinging JJ's pants over his shoulder. "So that you won't run. We won't make love until I return."

Make love? thought JJ. I don't think you know the meaning of that phrase. _Emily._ I just want Emily.

"See you around."

And just like that, Baylor was gone, locking the door behind him.

Sometime later, Baylor returned to JJ, his hands covered in and smeared with blood. It was only costume blood, but JJ didn't know that because in her scared state, it looked as real as anything.

"Baylor," JJ's tone came out in a note despair when she started connecting the dots. "You _didn't."_

"I did."

Seeing as the blood hadn't dried, Baylor climbed onto the bed and sat a little too close to JJ for her liking. Baylor's close proximity caused JJ to immediately start trembling like a scared puppy.

"That bitch sure did cry." Baylor took his time in talking because he was definitely messing with her, but the look of intense fear on her face told him that she was playing into his hands. "She also pled for you and her parents the entire time."

Hot tears poured down JJ's face, but she couldn't say a word just then because Baylor had rendered her speechless.

As Baylor told JJ his lie, the man took his time in wiping the costume blood all over her blouse and her good arm. Of course, the shirt she was wearing was white, so not only did the color show up well, but it also seeped right through to her skin. For shock value, Baylor even rubbed blood along JJ's shins, too. The one part of JJ's body that Baylor didn't touch was her injured arm or the plaster cast.

To JJ's horror, she saw Baylor's pupils dilate, an indication of his body language that told her he not only intended to have his way with her, but also that he was going to go primal... and when he went primal, he could go and go and go.

The thrill turned him on.

When Baylor looked at JJ, he expected her to still be terrified, and she was, but as the tears continued to fall, she bore a different expression on her face: it was blank and untelling.

"What?" Baylor pulled back, annoyed.

"I'm going to be sick."

That was all JJ could manage before she rolled over on her side and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

When JJ was finally on e, Baylor decided that he was done for the night with JJ, so he dragged her back to Hope's and Vivian's room. Before leaving Madalyn's, JJ grabbed the comforter off her bed. She was very cold now and needed to keep warm, but she also needed to keep herself shielded so Hope didn't freak out when she saw her in the morning.

* * *

The nursery housed an ensuite bathroom and JJ hid in there for awhile to work on cleaning herself up.

JJ got as far as getting the taste of her own vomit out of her mouth, but when it came to trying to clean up the blood, she gave up. She was extremely tired and had only one good hand, so all she was doing was making a bigger mess of things.

There was nothing else for her to do after that because Hope was fast asleep and Vivian would no doubt be waking soon, wanting a nighttime bottle. To kill time, she wrapped herself in the comforter and sat down in a corner of the room.

JJ didn't know if sleep would even come, although she hoped it would.

Hoping was better than nothing.

* * *

As for the BAU team, they worked through the night and well into the morning to find JJ and the girls because ever since they'd found out that the children were involved, they had to work against the clock because of the twenty-four hour rule: unless there were special circumstances, it wasn't often that abducted children lived past the first twenty-four hours of their abductions.

There was also the fact that there hadn't been anymore call-ins about murders with Baylor's MO and strangulation and stabbing, or even a ransom note asking for money for JJ or Hope and Vivian, so they had to assume the worst. It also didn't help that there wasn't any word from Madalyn, either.

* * *

It was around six a.m. that Penelope finally found Baylor's two stressors, and, more importantly, Madalyn Morrison's home address.

* * *

"Everyone!" Penelope said urgently. "I figured out where Madalyn lives!"

The others immediately abandoned their breakfast of bagels and hot beverages and got to their feet.

"Where, PG?" Emily asked.

"2576 Alison Street in Queens!"

The room was empty in a heartbeat.


	10. Nine

When Penelope travelled with the team, it wasn't often that she went into the field, but today was different—instead of staying put, she was going into the house with Derek and Hotch while they were looking for Baylor because after being in such a vulnerable position at the hands of the man who abused her, JJ, and even Hope and Vivian would prbably respond to her before a first aid responder.

At any rate, this would add some excitement to her day.

* * *

"Emily?"

"Hm?"

"How are you doing?"

Though they were in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and it was very early on a Monday morning, the case was already so high-stakes that amongst the sea of squad cars, there was also a mobile command center. The BAU team and the local authorities were camped out inside, going over their plan of breaking into the house from the back way. Penelope wasn't needed for the conversation just yet, and she was glad because she noticed Emily over in the corner, sitting on one of the benches, looking lost in thought.

Because she was pregnant, Emily wouldn't be going into the house unless JJ asked for her, and she was glad because it gave her time to sort out the jumble of thoughts racing through her head. She hadn't even realized Penelope was watching her.

"I don't know, PG." Emily said in response to her friend's question as she sat with her. "Do you think it's weird that I fell for someone who was in the beginning stages of a relationship when I was just getting to know them?"

Thinking back to her to the first time she ever met Derek and how she'd fallen for him in a heartbeat, despite the terrible pick-up line she'd used, Penelope shook her head. "No, I don't. Sometimes you really can't help who you fall in love with."

"Even when they haven't been in your life a whole year yet?"

"Even then."

Emily let out a shaky breath and leaned into her friend's hold when she offered it. "I just love her so much, Penelope. Her babies, too. I know she's in the process of healing from what happened with Baylor, and even that what is happening in that house right now might even set her back in the progress we've already made in rehabilitation, but what if JJ doesn't return those feelings, and I'm just setting myself up for disappointment?"

"Going by what I saw when I came to visit her at the hospital—as far as you two geting along with each other, I mean—I think there's a part of JJ somewhere in there that returns the love but just doesn't know how to say it because Baylor practically squashed out her ability to properly express emotions like love." Penelope said that thoughtfully, although she chose her next words very carefully. "Some bad things happened to JJ when she was a kid that caused her to become the way she is, and even _I_ don't know all of the details, but I _promise_ you, Emily, that once you get past that first layer, you'll find someone who _really_ loves her friends and someone who also more than likely has a little _more_ love to give to the person that she's imprinted on."

"And you're saying that JJ has imprinted on me?"

Penelope nodded. "For sure, but she just doesn't know how to say it. JJ imprinted on you because she really _loves_ you, but she hasn't realized it yet, and I think we'd know if she had."

"That's true." Emily turned to her bespectacled friend and gave her a genuine smile. "Thanks, Penelope. That really helps."

Penelope gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're very welcome."

The two sat in silence for a beat, but then all of a sudden, Penelope sat up in her seat and put a hand to her stomach, rubbing it and wrinkling her nose.

"Not again..."

"What?" Emily asked, glad to have something to take her mind off her topsy-turvy feelings. "Are you going to be ill?"

Penelope shook her head. "No, but my stomach has been doing all of these crazy little flips for the past three days, and its been driving me nuts because I _never_ get sick!"

Before Emily could get Penelope to say anything more on the matter, Hotch called her over to the table, requesting her presence, so she got up and left. Ultimately, she was left alone with her thoughts again.

Her stomach has been doing flips, and for three days? Emily thought. But then again, she's also been avoiding foods I know she likes...

What if...?

Oh, my God...!

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Penelope is _pregnant_ and just doesn't know it.

But who...?

Not that Kevin guy because she said they just didn't click...

But that would only leave one person...

 _Derek!_

Wait... _Derek and Penelope...?_

Huh...

Well, at least we know that is going to be one smart and _very_ beautiful baby...

But this must be what it's like to be in the middle of a group of friends who all came down with baby fever at the same time.

Life in this unit is never, ever dull.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the house, JJ was trying to quell the babies in her belly, the one in her arms, and the freaked out toddler burrowing into her side and trying to hide herself under her comfort blanket. JJ had no idea what time it was because it was dark outside yet, but she knew that her people were out in the driveway because she could hear them.

This gave JJ the courage that she needed to face her monster, but the arrival of the law enforcers had filled Baylor with rage, and after a round of yelling at JJ and belittling her, he left the room and paced the length of the house as he figured out what to do.

Hopefully, he wouldn't spiral out any more than he already was.

As means to give Hope and Vivian a little more protection, JJ had moved them all in to the huge walk-in closet, and she did her best to distract them… but that wasn't going too well.

Baylor's anger frightened JJ, but it downright _terrified_ Hope and Vivian. It even caused Hope to have an asthma attack.

"Come on, Hope." JJ cooed, doing the best she could to help the little girl use her inhaler while Vivian squirmed around in her lap, upset that she wasn't being held. "Please just focus on relaxing, and if you can, give me a thumbs up when you feel better."

It took a moment, but Hope gave JJ a thumbs up.

Relieved, JJ set the inhaler aside and picked Vivian back up, giving her kisses and cuddles, promising her that she hadn't forgotten about her. JJ got her settled soon enough, although she was faced almost immediately with another problem.

"JJ, I'm hungry." Hope whined as she laid her head in her friend's lap and pulled her blanket over herself to keep warm. "Why did he have to take the food?"

In his anger, Baylor had taken all of the food JJ had purchased, including the formula for Vivian and trashed it. When JJ had protested, she was met with a hard slap to the face, which Baylor informed her was her third strike. She still had yet to find out what her punishment was.

"I don't know, Hope, although I wish I did."

"Are you also hungry?"

"Yes." the blond admitted, wincing a little when Vivian snuggled against her sore breasts, instinctively looking for milk to drink because she was desperate. "And you're not the only one of us who is hungry. I am, Vivian is, and so are the two little babies in my tummy."

Hope sat back up and looked at JJ, fixing her glasses as a mixture of shock and joy appeared on her face.

"You've got _babies_ in your tummy, JJ?"

"Uh-huh, and we love them _so_ much."

"Who is 'we'?" Hope asked curiously, hunger forgotten.

"Me and my Emily. She's my love."

"You have a love?"

"I do, and I can't wait see her because I think she's outside."

"We could go to the window to see if we see her." Hope suggested, fixing her glasses as they slid down her nose.

Knowing that the house probably had snipers trained on it, JJ shook her head. "That's a really good idea, but not right now. I just need you to stay by me, alright?"

"Okay. Is it because you need cuddles?"

"Yes." JJ decided. "I do, and there's another thing I need."

"What?"

"For you to cover your eyes when it gets really scary; Emily and our friends are outside, and I don't know exactly when, but they're going to come in here and save us."

Hope laid back down, wrapping herself in her blanket and clutching her elephant toy to her chest. "I promise I'll be good, but JJ?"

"Yes, little one?"

"Please tell me about Robin Hood?"

JJ could help but smile—she must have told the story three times now. "You really like that story, huh?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah, and that's my toy's name! _Please_ tell the story?"

And so JJ did.

Their safe haven didn't long, though.

"JJ, you stupid bitch!" Baylor snarled, rushing back into the room and standing over where she, Hope, and Vivian were camped out. "Your people are still outside, and they're trying to negotiate with me to hand you and the brats over!"

 _"Please_ let us go, Baylor! We're all really, _really_ hungry, and Hope is recovering from an _asthma attack!"_

Baylor's eyes widened in disgust. "She's defective? Give her to me!"

"No!" JJ shrieked, curling up as best she could. "No, no, _no!"_

Scared again, Vivian let out a warning whimper while Hope finally succeeded in hiding herself completely under her blanket, squeezing her eyes shut and clamping her hands over her ears.

"Baylor, _please!"_ JJ was really pleading now, not as an FBI agent, but as a woman scared for not only her life, but the lives of the four children she was currently responsible for. "Hope didn't do _anything_ to you, and I _can_ take care of her! Please don't take her away from me! _Please!"_

"Defective children have to be disposed of!"

"But Hope is _perfect,_ and she's got a family that misses her and Vivian so much!"

This whole time, JJ's fear was increasing because the threat of Baylor taking Hope away from her as punishment for her third strike was way too real. She wouldn't be able to handle it if she lost either of Elle's children.

That being said, Baylor had made a mistake already: he'd left the door to hallway wide open, and JJ could see Hotch, Derek, and Penelope in the doorway, each as quiet as the night. Hotch had his gun trained on the back of Baylor's head, with Derek's gun trained in the same spot as a secondary shot. Penelope was just behind them, and when she and JJ locked eyes, she signaled for her to be quiet as she counted down in the softest of whispers.

"Three... two... one... go!"

For the second time in less than twelve hours, JJ heard the sound of a bullet from a silencer being fired. It made contact with Baylor's head immediately, and he fell to the floo in the exact same way that Madalyn had when he shot her.

It was finally _over._

JJ's monster was dead.


	11. Ten

Baylor had fallen just to the side of the closet door, but Hotch made quick work of moving it to the side so Penelope could get to JJ and the kids, who were still in the corner of the closet.

"It's all over." Penelope told her kindly as she knelt down in the doorway. "You're _safe,_ and so are Hope and Vivian."

Remembering that Hope had been hiding, JJ used her good hand to move the little girl's blanket off her.

"Everything is good now, sweet pea." she told her. "Will you sit up? I want you to meet one of my friends."

Immediately interested, Hope sat up and gave Penelope a glance-over before looking back at JJ. "Is that your love? Is that your Emily?"

"No." JJ answered, fighting back a blush at Penelope's raised eyebrows. "That's a _different_ friend—Penelope."

Hope made to move towards her, but she shrank back again when she saw Derek kneel down next to Penelope.

"It's okay, Hope." the technical analyst told her. "That's my buddy, Derek."

Hope looked to JJ again, her own eyebrows raised. Nobody could blame her for wanting extra reassurance.

"They'll care of you and Vivian, and they both know your Aunt Elle."

That seemed to sit well with Hope, and when Derek held out a hand to her for a high five, she gave it to him, right away.

"How are you doing, little princess?" he asked her. "You ready to go?"

Hope nodded. "But what about Vivian?"

Penelope spoke directly to her. "If it's alright with you, I'll take her to the hospital."

Hope's eyes widened slightly. "The _hospital?"_

"So that you and Hope can get checked out," Penelope expounded. "And also so you two can get something to eat. "

Hope looked back at JJ yet again. "You're coming, too, right?"

"Of course, and I'll make sure that you and Vivian get back to Aunt Elle, but until then, my friends will take care of you two, okay, sweet pea? If it helps, think of Derek and Penelope like Robin Hood and Maid Marion. You know—heroes."

At the mention of her two new favorite fairytale characters, Hope finally relaxed and let Derek pick her up. She even cooperated with him when he picked up her blanket and draped it over her to 'keep her warm,' although the adults knew it was really to keep her from seeing Baylor. And when Hope asked, her new friend promised to collect her inhaler pouch before they left.

Penelope got JJ to hand Vivian to her, but before the tech analyst could ask the communications liaison if she could walk, Vivian began to cry with hunger. Hotch, who had been directing the Crime Scene Unit to Baylor's body, noticed the infant's discomfort and he directed Penelope to go outside to the ambulances with Derek and Hope; he would take care of JJ for the time being.

JJ kept her eyes averted and her good hand was holding tightly to the blanket covering her lower half.

"Please don't touch me, Aaron. He took my pants."

Hotch respectfully scooted back and spoke gently to JJ.

"Tell me how I can help. It looks like you're covered in costume blood."

JJ was thrown for a loop.

 _"Costume_ blood?" she echoed, giving the dry reddish-brown substance on her arms and legs a quick second look. "This isn't real?"

"It's completely fake." Hotch told her. "When Prentiss and Garcia were tracking McMath's financials, they found costume blood amongst his purchases. He probably got it to scare you with."

"It worked." JJ shuddered. "Baylor told me that it was _Emily's_ blood—he told me he was going to hurt her."

"JJ, she's right outside, waiting for you."

JJ's heart jumped. "Please ask her to come here."

Hotch did as requested and when Emily came in, he followed the CSU people out helping them take Baylor's body out on a stretcher.

Emily and JJ were alone very quickly.

Now that this was the case, JJ was herself again, although all she did was tremble; she was too traumatized to cry.

Seeing this, Emily took out the earpiece she was wearing and draped it over shoulder. Without that, nobody would be listening in on their conversation.

"JJ?" Emily knelt in front of her, taking in how traumatized she was. "Hey, I'm right here. I'm right here, baby."

The term of endearment seemed to unfreeze JJ, and she began to cry. Emily scooped the scared woman into her lap and pressed kisses to her brow.

"It's all over, JJ. Baylor is finally dead, and you saved Hope and Vivian. We can bring them to Elle when everything checks out."

JJ forced to take some calming breaths, but her words still came of softly as she looked Emily in the eye.

"I never thought I'd see you again." JJ held on tightly to Emily's vest with her good hand as they continued to hold each other's gazes. "I didn't think I'd even get to say what I've known for months but didn't feel completely until you rescued me the other night: I love you, Emily—very, very much. Remember how you told me that you wanted me when I doubted it?"

Heart hammering in her chest, Emily nodded. "I remember."

"Well, _I_ want _you."_

Emily felt so much love and joy and love in that moment that she thought she was either going to cry or spontaneously explode from the power of the emotion alone. Even still, she managed to respond to JJ.

"I love you, too, JJ, with all my heart, and like I told you back at your place, I want you because I want to love you and treasure you. You and the babies deserve all of that."

Now it was JJ who had a hammering heart; this all felt like a dream, even though she knew it wasn't. "Are you saying that you want to be a family with me and raise our kids together?"

"Only at the pace you would want, but yes." Emily said quickly. "Is this a thing you'd want?"

"More than anything," JJ admitted. "And slow is the pace, but I want it now."

"We can go slow," Emily promised, hugging her again. "And I want it now, too."

JJ rested her head against Emily's shoulder, feeling the beginnings of an adrenaline crash. "You make my heart happy and full."

"And you do the same for mine." Emily dropped a few more kisses onto JJ's brow. "Now let's get you to the hospital, hm? You need to get cleaned up, and I imagine that you're quite hungry by now."

Right on cue, JJ felt her stomach rumble, and it made her groan. "You have _no_ idea."

* * *

Once at the hospital, JJ couldn't help it, she freaked out when the nurses prepared to wash her of the dried costume blood; though she was now free of Baylor because he was dead, she was extremely uncomfortable with a stranger touching her when she was feeling so vulnerable.

The nurses were very understanding and had no objections when Emily volunteered to do it.

The agents talked with each other while this was happening (because what else were they supposed to do?) and other than Emily marveling over how beautiful JJ was, neither agent really said a word about JJ's being in the buff. In fact, it kind of 'sealed the deal,' so to speak. And they were both alright with that.

JJ already had a hospital bracelet, having been issued one after admittance, but once she was clean again, she was not only calmer and more reasonable, but also wearing fresh undergarments and a hospital gown that the nurses had thoughtfully left for her since the clothes that she'd been wearing at the time of her abduction were completely ruined now.

She was also feeling cold, so Emily found a blanket from the closet and spread it over JJ's legs, although remembering that one of the nurses would be arriving soon to do an ultrasound on the babies and to hook them and JJ up to different monitoring devices for the sake of precautionary measures, and the sort, she left JJ's belly exposed.

As for their friends, they were scattered around the hospital, some checking on Elle, some looking after Hope and Vivian, while the others were in the waiting room, waiting for JJ allow them to come see her.

For the time being, Emily and JJ were alone.

* * *

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Emily asked JJ when she saw that she'd gone quiet, thinking about something.

"Baylor told me he went after you, Emily," JJ said at length. "And I believed him, especially when he started to wonder if you'd bleed badly. I spent most of the night wondering if he was actually going to follow through, and then when I _could_ sleep, all I did was have nightmares that bad things had happened to you and the baby."

"He didn't come near us at all," Emily told her. "And Baby Bear and I are both fine. Have a look."

Her jacket and vest had since been set aside on a chair in the corner, so Emily lifted up the material of her own shirt to expose her own blossoming bump to JJ. When she saw her turn to mush at the sight of it, Emily put JJ's good hand on her middle, allowing her to feel it because she probably wanted to make sure it was there.

"Wow." JJ breathed, caressing her thumb on the taught skin. "This is incredible."

"That's what I think whenever I feel him wiggling around in there, happy as a clam."

"You're a happy little camper, aren't you, Baby Bear?" JJ cooed to the bump. "Mommy loves you already and can't wait to meet you!"

Emily's heart fluttered as JJ talked to the baby and refer to herself as mommy, so she held JJ's hand in place, brushing her fingers with her knuckles. She really couldn't keep her hands off her.

"He's in there, growing away. I swear he gets wigglier whenever you're around."

"So you think it's a boy?"

"Mama's instinct." Emily shrugged, fixing the material of her shirt and smoothed it out. "What do you think you've got?"

JJ rubbed her hand over own baby bump. "Two little girls, and I really hope they look like me. Am I wrong, wishing for that?"

"No." Emily responded immediately. "Not after everything you've gone through."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in her bed. "The babies both saved me last night."

"What do you mean?"

"Baylor was going to have me again, when he was covering me in all that fake blood, but he didn't get that far because I had a random bout of morning sickness. He decided I wasn't worth it and didn't touch me like that again."

"They really _did_ save you, didn't they?"

Feeling playful, Emily placed a single kiss on JJ's forehead, her cheek, her throat, and her chest before placing a flurry of gentle ones all across JJ's middle.

"Thank you for taking care of mommy, little ones." Emily pressed a few more kisses to the bump, even putting in a little more effort when JJ arched her back in response. "Mama really appreciates that and loves you two all the way to the moon and back already."

The pair could have stayed in their bubble for even longer, but they were brought back to reality when the nurse finally arrived to outfit JJ and the twins in monitoring devices, and also give JJ a rundown about how long she'd be in hospital.

Not long after she left, JJ sent Emily to collect the others, and when they arrived, Hope and Vivian were in tow.

One thing JJ noticed about Hope right away was that while she was in clean pajamas and had her elephant toy clamped under one arm with her free hand slung over Derek's shoulder, she was hooked up to a nasal tube, which was in turn hooked up to an external oxygen supply, which Derek was wheeling along beside him with one hand. He was supporting Hope with the other as she sat atop his forearm and looked at JJ.

"How are you, Hope?" JJ asked her, subconsciously readjusting her own oxygen tubing.

"I don't like this," she patted the nasal tube going up her nose. "But the doctor said I have to have it until I see Aunt Elle, after I eat."

"You haven't eaten?"

Hope just shook her head and rested her head against Derek's shoulder, spent.

Taking pity on her, Derek filled JJ in on the details. "Apparently, Elle has yet to leave her hospital room because she had a lot of trouble sleeping through the night, worrying about Hope and Vivian. She's in the process of sleeping off some very powerful knock-out drugs, but should be waking up before you're discharged. Penelope and I are going to look after Hope and Vivian until that happens because you've had your share of excitement by now. All you need to worry about is you."

JJ smiled, thankful, and then asked, "Why hasn't Hope eaten?"

"She's upset that Vivian won't take a bottle from me." Penelope said, stepping forward, pushing a rolling bassinet containing her tiny charge. "Do you want to give it a try before I take her again? I have her bottle, too."

A very short time later, little Vivian was nestled in the crook of JJ's left arm and contently guzzling down formula from the bottle she was feeding her. Vivian looked like she was in heaven.

When JJ looked up, she saw the others all watching her fondly; they'd all of them always known that JJ had always wanted to be a mother, and if she had been wonderful with baby Zooey out in Oregon and was now as equally wonderful with Vivian, then she was going to fantastic with her own babies when the time came.

Hotch broke the silence first. "How long do you have to be here, JJ?"

"Two hours," she sighed heavily. "But after that, I'll be free to go."

Taking that information into account, Hotch turned to Spencer and Rossi. "It looks like it's just the three of us now. Do you guys think we can find something to do for two hours in New York City during Christmastime?"

"I know the perfect spot for breakfast." Rossi responded. "Let's go."

Enticed by that, Hotch and Spencer followed his lead and bade the others goodbye. Derek left next, after convincing Hope that since Vivian was being taken care of, it would be alright if she got food, too.

It was Penelope who hung back, wanting to ask her friends a question, now that the others had gone.

"Are you two a couple now?"

JJ and Emily looked up from fawning over Vivian, who had finished her bottle and was now being burped by Emily.

"We are," JJ answered, watching Penelope as she retrieved what looked like a sling from the bottom compartment of the rolling bassinet and set it up on herself. "But can you keep it to yourself until after we all come back from vacation, please?"

Now that things were done, they were all officially on an extended break because their caseload had been unreal, as of late.

"I am a vault."

Penelope said this with the utmost sincerity, but shifted her weight from on foot to the other, butterflies appearing in her stomach as Emily swaddled Vivian and set her the sling.

"Cough it up." Emily told her when she saw Penelope drifting.

"Right." Penelope cradled Vivian through the sling, almost instinctively. "I always go home with Derek to Chicago for the holidays, and we're going to fly out tomorrow, but…"

"Yes?" JJ prompted.

"Last night, I really wasn't feeling well and couldn't sleep, so I paid a visit to this hospital's free clinic for an appointment and found out that I'm pregnant!"

JJ and Emily expressed their joy for the woman they both loved as a sister, and this immediately bolstered Penelope's confidence.

"Derek and I aren't 'together,' in the classical sense, but we've always loved each other in some deep way. We just didn't really stop think about things until I was recovering from being shot."

She rocked Vivian in her arms as she snuggled close to her, almost like it was a reflex.

"I'm due around the same time as you two probably are."

"This means that our kids are all going to grow up together." JJ mused. "We won't say a word, but does Derek know?"

"No. I was planning on telling him when we get back to Quantico."

Happy in the sling and in love with the sound of Penelope's voice, Vivian let out a content sigh and fell asleep. The tech analyst took that as a sign to go look for Derek and Hope, so she left.

JJ and Emily were alone again.

"Well," Emily kissed JJ's forehead. "It can only get better from here, huh?"

"Most definitely." JJ agreed, smiling from the kiss.

And they were both right: the better days were just ahead.


	12. Eleven

JJ ate and slept, although when she woke up, she was very surprised to see Hope snuggled up in the bed with her.

"Hope," JJ said her name in surprise as she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

The little girl sat up and gave her friend a delicate kiss on the cheek. "Derek brought me and Viv!"

She motioned towards a corner of the room where Derek was holding Vivian in his arms and cuddling with her. JJ thought of the surprise that Penelope was going to drop on him very soon, and her heart was immediately goo at the sight of big, badass Derek Morgan turning to mush because of a baby.

When he saw JJ looking, he approached her, smiling. "Would you like to hold Vivian again?"

JJ nodded. "Yes, please!"

Derek laid Vivian on JJ's chest, and the second JJ had an arm of support around the baby, Vivian let out a very contented sigh and began cooing happily, having missed JJ. Mindful of the oxygen support she was hooked up to, Hope gave her baby cousin lots of kisses and cuddles.

JJ even indulged herself, giving the children extra kisses and cuddles as she told them how much she loved them and was going to miss them. She didn't even notice Derek snapping a picture of the scene with his phone.

He had just out his phone away when reason caught up with JJ and she turned to Derek.

"Where are Emily and Penelope?" she asked him.

"Emily was really hungry, so Penelope took her to the cafeteria to eat; even Hope got on Emily's case when she saw that she was pregnant."

JJ laughed and leaned down, planting a kiss on the top of the little girl in question.

"Well, seeing as she was extra protective of me while we were gone, that doesn't surprise me."

She looked back at Derek.

"Is Elle awake yet?"

Derek nodded and fixed the oxygen tube in Hope's nose when he saw it was dropping a little bit. "She is, and Missus Greenaway will be pushing her in a wheelchair since she won't be walking without crutches any time soon."

"Because her ankle is broken." JJ remembered. "And you and I are going to return Hope and Vivian to her because we know her best?"

"That's right, Ace."

JJ smiled at the nickname. "And then how much longer after that do I have to stay here?"

"It shouldn't be too long, but Emily will be back before then because she did a lot of hemming and hawing about being away from you in the first place before we could get her to leave."

"Sounds like her…"

Derek was about to ask his friend a question regarding the nature of his newfound bond with Emily, but didn't get a chance because they were interrupted by a new voice.

"Is everyone awake in here?"

Luna Greenaway was just reaching the doorway, pushing Elle in a wheelchair. Mother and daughter were both tired, but looked very, very happy.

"Hope," JJ gave the girl another kiss on the top of the head in an effort to get her attention away from Vivian because she was still doting on her. "Look who's here."

Hope tore her gaze away from Vivian to do what JJ asked, and when she saw her family, she burst into happy tears.

Derek moved her into Elle's arms, and he and JJ watched as part of the Greenaway reconnected, but after a moment, Elle moved her chair closer to JJ's bed. Reaching out, she gave JJ's good hand a squeeze.

"Thank you so much for taking care of my babies and protecting them; you're going to be a _wonderful_ mom when your babies come."

JJ beamed at that and then said, "I think Vivian wants to go back to her mommy now."

Elle held her arms out. "Oh, please let me hold her."

With Derek's help again, Elle soon had Vivian in her arms and was crying because she was just so happy to have her children back.

Luna kissed her daughter and her grandchildren and then pushed the chair to a different part of the room to give Elle, Hope, and Vivian what privacy they could have before moving back to Derek and JJ to thank them for everything.

When she got to JJ, though, she spent a little more time with her.

"Thank you so much, Agent Jareau, for bringing my granddaughters back safely." she said. "Elle and I were such wrecks because they're all we have left."

"Please call me JJ, and you are very, very welcome." the blond smiled at her. "Protecting civilians, especially children in that kind of situation, is all part of the job."

JJ framed her bump with her good hand and continued to smile at Luna.

"Some recent events in just the past few days alone have reminded me that family is everything."

"So you understand?"

JJ nodded. "I do."

Luna grinned and then bobbed her head in the direction of JJ's cast. "Is it alright if I add something?"

"Sure." JJ told her. "Go ahead."

Using the Sharpie from JJ's bedside table, the older woman wrote two words at the top of the cast, just along the top of the curve of it: _The Greenaways._

Before long, reality settled in when Vivian made hungry noises, so the Greenaway family said their goodbyes and left.

Just a few minutes laster, Emily and Penelope arrived to JJ's room.

After Derek and Penelope departed, Emily sat on JJ's bed and smoothed her girlfriend's hair back as she spoke to her.

"How are you doing?"

"Wishing that I wasn't confined to this damn bed." JJ pouted.

"Have heart." Emily kissed her on the cheek. "It's almost time to go."

* * *

Later, on the jet ride back to Virginia, everyone but JJ and Emily killed time with doing different things: Rossi played Solitaire, while across the table from him, Spencer played chess against himself. Across the aisle, Derek listened to music on his MP3 player while Penelope sat in the window seat, staring out at the landscape many miles down below as she knit even more of the baby blanket that she had started on the ride out to New York. Over in the galley, Hotch was using his iPad to Skype with Haley and Jack. Way at the opposite end of the passenger area, JJ and Emily were camped out together on the couch.

"I've been thinking about spending the holidays with your parents." JJ told Emily.

Having just sent an email to her mother about JJ's likes and her dislikes for Christmas presents and stocking stuffers, Emily's eyes widened slightly.

"Not having second thoughts, are you?"

"Goodness, no. (Emily breathed a sigh of relief) "I'm just kind of… nervous."

"What about?"

"I haven't had a Christmas with both of my parents since I was ten."

Emily had always had a feeling that JJ had a dark and stormy cloud hanging over her head because she just projected that kind of aura, but then she also remembered that Penelope had said that bad that bad things had happened to her.

"What happened?"

"My dad was killed in a car accident when he was on the way home from the grocery store the winter that I was ten. And Rosaline…"

JJ sighed heavily.

"She slit her wrists in the bathtub on Christmas Day."

Emily's heart filled with sorrow for JJ, and she pulled her in for a hug.

"Oh, JJ, I'm so sorry."

JJ leaned against Emily, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder. "I was born on Christmas, and that made it really hard for years because we were very close. She loved me and treated me like her baby since Archer and I have never been that close, but it still felt like a slap in the face."

"I can imagine so." Emily said sincerely. "I'm so sorry that those things happened to you, Jayje, especially when you were so young."

"Thank you."

Emily gave JJ a gentle squeezing hug. "We don't have to tell my parents anything you don't want to, but you know what?"

"Do tell."

"My mother is already looking forward to seeing you again, and my dad is really looking forward to meeting you. They already spoil me, but they're going to spoil both of us for as long as we're with them."

"Are they, now? How do you know?"

"I was their last shot at having a baby of their own, so I came into the world already spoiled because they wanted me so badly."

Emily subconsciously pulled JJ close to her, making the communications liaison wonder exactly what the profiler wasn't saying.

"And because it's you and we're so close, they're going to have a field day because of our bond."

JJ actually smiled at that and sat up to look at her. "Do they know you like me?"

"Yes," Emily blushed. "But they don't know _how_ much. They'll figure it out right quick because they're smart like that, but they're going to have a total field day when they do."

"Have you told them about my arm?"

"No, but I can tell you that they'll take turns waiting on you when they see the cast; you should let them."

"Your parents both have acts of service as their love language, don't they?"

Emily nodded. "They do."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Do they know we're pregnant?

Emily's blush deepened, and JJ was quite amused, so she gave her a peck on the cheek as she settled against her again.

"I'll take that as a no, but I can already think of something pretty neat."

By now, Emily was trying very hard to focus on the conversation and not the beautiful pregnant woman in her arms who not only fit perfectly when snuggled up with her, but also found her very comfortable.

"Oh?" Emily finally managed, stifling a snicker when JJ yawned. "And what would that be?"

"Not only will Elizabeth and Maximo be spoiling us over Christmas, but they'll also be spoiling all three of their grandbabies, too."

Hearing that from JJ made Emily's heart turn to mush and swell with joy at the same time because it really meant that she was in it the whole way: JJ was completely serious about being a family, but was already thinking of Elizabeth and Maximo as the grandparents of the babies that were currently growing away in her womb.

If it was possible, Emily fell even more in love with JJ, just for that.

"JJ?"

No response.

Looking down, Emily saw that JJ was exhausted and had fallen fast asleep, very comfortable with her.

True, JJ wasn't yet fully recovered from all that Baylor had done to her and would no doubt have nightmares again, but seeing her like this made Emily feel a lot better.

It was a step in the right direction.


	13. Twelve

When they finally arrived back at Emily's place, JJ was just so exhausted that she couldn't even make it all the way down the hallway to her bedroom. She got as far as Emily's room before giving up and changing into pajamas. She was asleep the second her head hit her pillow.

Emily didn't mind; it was _their_ bed now.

* * *

JJ slept through the night, and when she woke, she registered two things and remembered one: she was in Emily's bed, she had the energy of a Golden Retriever puppy, and last but not least, they were going to the big mall in Alexandria to find proper-fitting maternity clothes for themselves, as well as Christmas presents for their parents. Day One of Christmas vacation was already starting out pretty nicely.

The babies realized that JJ was awake and reminded her of their presence not by making her ill, but by putting their weight on her bladder, forcing her to get out of bed and hit the facilities in a timely fashion.

Once she was freshened up, she went back into the bedroom and saw that Emily was fast asleep yet, and that according to the time on the clock, she'd be waking up within the next few minutes.

All of a sudden, JJ was hit with a brilliant idea for a wake-up call.

It took a few minutes, but Emily started stirring, and when she woke, she propped herself up on her elbows to see that JJ was pressing delicate kisses all over her body.

When JJ realized Emily was awake, she abandoned all delicacy and replaced those kisses with hot ones that were a few steps short of lustful. The first sound out of Emily's mouth, instead of, "Good morning, JJ," was instead a very sensual moan because it had been a very long time since she'd been touched liked that by another person. JJ was really turning her on.

"Oh, JJ," Emily sighed, arching her back when she felt the kisses on her bump. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

"Judging by your body's response," JJ purred, caressing Emily's hip and thighs in one continuous motion with her good hand. "I think yes."

Emily's only response was to let out her lustiest moan yet when JJ worked her way down from her bump to her thighs, leaving behind a trail of kisses and licks. JJ was playing with her in every sense of the word.

"If you keep that up, then..."

Very daring and _extremely_ horny, JJ began to eat Emily out. The brunette orgasmed quickly, making enough noise to wake the neighbors as she did, and by the time it was over, her underwear was completely soaked.

Proud of herself, JJ wiped her mouth off and smiled sweetly at Emily, caressing her hair and wiping off the fine sheen off sweat off Emily's body with one of the blankets until she stopped seeing stars.

"Then something like that will happen?" she cooed.

Emily nodded and looked at her. "You're a _minx,_ you know that?"

JJ took that as a compliment. "I'm a minx, but I'm _your_ minx."

Still trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened, all Emily could get out was, "Uh-huh..."

JJ straddled Emily so that they looking each other in directly in the eyes; she still had one thing that she needed to get out before they could get on with their day.

"I still hurt from what I went through, but I promise you, Emily, that there _will_ be a day that I'll be able to _completely_ be able to give myself completely to you." she told her seriously. "Do you understand?"

Emily sat up and put her hands on JJ's hips, just to hold her, and nodded. "I do."

JJ had to fight hard to not turn immediately to mush. "I love you, and I don't ever want to live without you, but I still need time to heal. I trust you, completely, but I still need time."

"I'll wait for you, Jennifer, for as _long_ as it takes. I love you."

Strong though she was, JJ came undone by Emily's response and she dissolved into tears.

Emily immediately took her into her lap and made soothing noises as she kissed her and rocked her. Everything that had happened a few moments ago went right out the window, because JJ was a strong person, in heart, love, and even physical strength, but she he still needed time to recover.

But Emily would wait. She had known the second she saw JJ for the first time and fell for her that she was the one—the one she wanted to marry. JJ was completely worth it.

"I don't understand." JJ said after a few minutes, when she was calm again. "How can you love me, even when I'm such a _mess?_ Baylor said that tears are a sign of weakness."

"First of all, it's perfectly okay to be a mess, because even the best and most beautiful things can come from messes, JJ." Emily kissed JJ's brow and sslipped her hand under JJ's shirt, lovingly rubbing the blond's baby bump. "And second, Baylor was _wrong,_ do you hear me? Tears are a way to show that you're afraid, or that something is wrong, or even that you're happy."

"That's along the lines of what my mom would tell me after my sister died; I was the only kid left in the house because Archer was already a few years older than Rosaline and living in Tokyo with Cho when it happened."

"So that means that it was just you and your mom left, huh?"

JJ nodded. "Uh-huh, and there was a quote that she recited to comfort herself… 'There is a sacredness in tears: they are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief, and of unspeakable love.' I don't remember who said it anymore, though."

"But the words are correct—tears are a sign of strength and love." Emily said. "No matter what anyone says, that's the truth. Don't you forget."

"I won't."

"Good." Emily kissed JJ again and gave her a pat on the thigh. "Now how about you go see if we have any food in the fridge? I need a shower."

JJ did as Emily suggested, although they both knew that brunette was still feeling hot and bothered from their sexual encounter and that she was really going to shower because she needed to finish herself off. (Personally, JJ couldn't wait for the day that she'd be able to be fully confident that she'd be able to help Emily with that) Both women also knew that they had a hold a hold on each other in every way possible.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, there was no real food in Emily's fridge, and they ended up going out for breakfast before hitting the road to Alexandria.

They went clothes shopping first because it was JJ's least favorite thing, and when it came time to shop for Emily's parents, they had plenty of time and could enjoy it. They found a few things for them, although at the last minute, they decided that they also wanted to get "Guess what? You're going to be grandparents!" presents for them, as well. That required a visit to the ornament store.

As it was relatively early on a Monday morning, even during the holiday season, the store was empty, except for the salesgirl behind the counter. She had fair skin and brown eyes to go with her long brown hair, along with a splash of brown freckles across the bridge of her nose, and didn't stand too much taller than JJ. She was also dressed in holiday-themed clothes, although the apron with the company logo she wore over her clothes was decorated with holiday pins. Both JJ and Emily would be remiss to say that the teenager didn't remind them of Penelope.

"Hello!" the girl chirped. "My name is Hanna; how may I help you two this morning?"

Emily did the introductions. "I'm Emily, and this is my girlfriend, JJ. We're going to be spending the holidays with my parents, and we already have a few things for them, but we're also looking for some keepsake-type things because this Christmas is going to be very special for them."

Hanna was a very excitable person in general, but her favorite part about her job was helping out couples like the one that had just entered her shop, so of course, she was immediately interested.

"How special is special?"

JJ set her bags down and framed off her middle through the fabric of her jacket so Hanna could see. "Emily and I are both expecting, and we're looking for something to tell her parents that they're going to be grandparents."

Hanna lit up when an idea immediately popped into her head. "I know exactly what can help!"

After letting her customers put their bags behind the register for safekeeping, Hanna led JJ and Emily over to a certain section of the back wall and waved a hand over the area in indication.

"Everything over here is for grandparents, and I know that there are some really awesome things that have 'grandparents-to-be' messages on them, like… this!"

Hanna had been surverying the display for a particular item, and when they followed her gaze, she plucked a sculpture of a brightly-colored ceramic glass house and yard with 'Papa's and Nana's House' painted on its roof in a fancy gold script off its display stand and put it Emily's hands.

"This is my favorite."

"It's very cute." Emily remarked as JJ nodded in agreement. "We will keep this one in mind."

Pleased that she'd been such a big help, Hanna left her customers to their own devices and and went back to the register to start prepping the gift-wrap.

JJ and Emily left Hanna's shop not only with the ceramic house, but also a pair of nice coffee mugs bearing the titles 'Papa' and 'Nana' on them; Emily felt that though her parents would be over the moon to find out about their new titles, traditional names like 'Grandpa' and 'Grandma' were not their style. The babies were going to know them as Papa Max and Nana Lizzie. JJ hadn't been sure at first, but when Emily explained that to her, she felt a lot better about their gift choices. They also picked up a present for her mom and added it to the rest of the grandparent pile because they didn't want her to be left out in the gift-giving as they told her about their news.

The agents were still at the mall around lunchtime, so after they rented a cart to put all of their shopping bags and packages in, they got lunch at the food court and sat down to eat in one of the room's many high-backed booths.

They weren't too far into their meals when they heard a familiar voice call out their names.

"JJ? Emily?"

The duo looked up from their food and saw Haley Hotchner standing at their table, with a tray of her own food.

"Hi, Haley!" JJ greeted her.

"Come sit with us." Emily said, moving over to make room for her.

Happy and excited by the invitation, Haley sat next to Emily, setting her food on the table and her jacket and purse in the corner of the booth with her friends' things.

"Shopping for presents?" JJ asked curiously.

"I already have Aaron's and Jack's presents all squared away, thank the Lord." Haley breathed a sigh of relief. "No, I came out here for a trip to the Disney Store."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "All the way out here for the _Disney Store?"_

"Jack is a sucker all things Disney, and he _really_ loves Mickey Mouse." explained Haley. "I was hoping to find something that he doesn't already have that we can give to him when we tell him that he's going to be a big brother."

"Oh, that's right." Emily remembered, giving Haley a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Aaron told us; congratulations."

JJ also conveyed her congratulations and Haley thanked her friends, but furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Aaron told you two? I know he's always thought of you two like little sisters, but _when_ did he tell you?"

"New York." Emily elaborated. "You called and told him, and then JJ, Penelope, and I were the first people he saw after he hung up."

"And in Aaron's defense," JJ tacked on quickly. "It was an accident because he was in a daze, that's how happy he was."

"But nobody else knows?" Haley inquired. "Just you guys and Penelope?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good…"

Haley leaned back against the booth and absently raked her nails over her middle, which, now that she wasn't wearing her winter coat, JJ and Emily could see had a distinctive bulge to it, where inside, the littlest Hotchner was growing happily away.

Back when JJ had started at the Academy, she had been one of Hotch's pupils, and at her first gala, Haley had been there, accompanying her husband. Seeing the lone, dateless underling in the corner, Haley took it upon herself to make friends with her, and they bonded immediately because Haley reminded JJ of Rosaline, back in her happier days. That was years and years and years ago.

As for Emily, it was two weeks after joining the BAU that she befriended Haley, and that had been when Haley tagged along during one of the team's 'morale boosters' at a local bar. The two hit it off right away and they had been good friends ever since.

Either way, both JJ and Emily knew their boss' wife well enough to know that the wheels in her head were turning very fast in her head.

"Haley?" JJ asked.

She smiled reassuringly at her friends. "I'm fine, you guys, I promise. I was just thinking…"

"About…?" prompted Emily.

"Well, I ran into Penelope a few days before you all went to New York, and I don't think she noticed, but she kept touching her hand to her middle, the way a pregnant mother does, and she was doing it on and off the entire time we were talking. She's pregnant, isn't she? I won't tell, but if you know, just say yes or no."

"Yes." JJ and Emily said in unison.

Haley's happy expression broadened and then she looked between her friends, the wheels in her head began spinning their fastest yet.

"Aaron said there was something different about you two…"

"We're both pregnant!" Emily blurted.

 _"Emily Magdalene! Really?"_ JJ cried with exasperation. "If you can't be chill with _Haley,_ then how fast are you going to crumble when we get to your parents' house and tell them that they're going to be grandparents _and_ that we're a couple?"

In response, Emily just raised an eyebrow in amusement and when JJ realized her gaffe, she let out a filthy swear and stuffed her face full of her salad to avoid putting her foot in her mouth even further than it already was.

Even more amused than Emily, Haley just chuckled. "Aaron owes me me eighty bucks."

"Pardon?" Emily asked when she finished her mouthful of salad.

"He couldn't put his finger on what was different about you two, other than pregnancy, and I said eighty bucks would say that you two are together."

"And what did Aaron say to _that?"_

"He said, 'You're on, and if that's the case, tell them congratulations.' I still would have gotten it eventually, but running into you two today was just a stroke of luck."

JJ moved her food tray to the side. "But Aaron _is_ happy for us?"

"One hundred percent, and so am I."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief, and Emily changed the subject around.

"Haley, are your mom and dad still around?"

"Yes."

"How did you tell them that Jack was on the way?"

Haley smirked at the memory. "That involves Aaron accidentally falling into their pool in the process."

"Oh, don't you quit there, Barbie Doll."

And so Haley launched into a story that soon had all three women in fits of happy laughter.


	14. Thirteen

Emily's parents lived in a very nice, upscale neighborhood because while Elizabeth had been an ambassador for almost the entirety of her lengthly career and was paid a hefty salary because of it, Maximo Prentiss was the president of a local college, as well as a well-respected professor of Italian studies there. And both him and his wife hailed from family money.

In a word, the Prentisses were loaded.

Emily tended to downplay that about her folks, and she certainly hadn't told anyone that she was a trust-fund baby.

On days like today, though, it was inescapable: she and JJ were in the elder Prentisses car, being driven out to the House Of Prentiss by their chauffeur, Lars. It was December twenty-third, and they had quite some time for vacation. This was going to be a memorable one.

Emily was excited, but when she noticed JJ being quiet, she grew concerned.

* * *

"You okay?" she asked her girlfriend, catching her eye. "You've been quiet all morning."

"I'm fine, babe." JJ smiled at her. "I've just been thinking about a dream I had last night, and it only came back to me a little while ago. It contradicts our 'taking it slow' agreement, though."

"Will you tell me, anyway?"

JJ took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I dreamed that we were still at the BAU, except that you were running it, and I was one of the lead profilers. As for home life, we were married and had more kids. I think there five of them, including the ones we're carrying now."

"Wow." Emily marveled. "I love _everything_ about that."

If JJ hadn't already been sitting in the backseat of the town car, buckled in, her legs would have given out at that. "Really? Even the marriage part?"

Emily nodded. "I almost got married once, but it didn't work out. After that, I told myself that I wouldn't think about marriage again until I found The One. I'm talking to her right now."

JJ's brain almost shut down at that. "Me?"

"Uh-huh. I fell for you the second I saw you, and I thought, 'Wow, she is so beautiful. I want to marry her.' Honest to God, that was my first thought."

Now JJ felt like she was going to melt. "I also fell for you that fast—just ask Penelope because I told her—and I've never been married or even engaged before, but after everything that's just happened, I couldn't imagine being with, or even _having kids_ with anyone else but you. It even feels like we already are married, and I really love _that."_

"So do I." Emily cupped JJ's face in one hand and gave her her most loving smile yet. "JJ, one day, when everything is better, will you marry me?"

Although this wasn't an official proposal, JJ had her answer in a heartbeat.

"Yes, Emily." JJ leaned over and kissed the brunette on the cheek. "And I think Jennifer Abigail Grace Prentiss has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

So dazed was Emily by JJ's answer that she was already up in the clouds and was capable of only one real answer.

"Uh-huh…"

* * *

When they reached the House of Prentiss, Lars escorted them inside, telling them that he would make sure their luggage was brought inside and put away.

Exiting the garage, they came into the front hallway, where they were greeted by one of the maids, a young Hatian woman called Ermengarde, and she took their coats and shoes for them, putting away. Ermengarde also took their bags for them, although Emily held on to her the big tote bag she had with her, as it was full of the baby-related presents for her parents; neither she nor JJ had the willpower to wait any longer than they had to to share the news.

By the time Ermengarde had left them to their own devices, asked Emily, "Is this how you grew up?"

"Yep. I lived all over the world as a kid because of my mom's postings, and in some of the ambassadorial houses, there was a staff just for me, in addition to the ones that were always provided for my parents."

JJ was very impressed. "How long have you been at _this_ house?"

"We lived here in between the postings, but it became our permanent address after the mess I got myself into in Italy."

Before JJ could figure out a response to Emily's passing reference of her abortion, a new, more masculine voice could be heard. It also bore a heavy Italian accent.

"Is that my Emily I hear?"

A man who looked to be in his late fifties with a tall, stocky build and features very similar to Emily's own appeared from one one of the rooms further down the hallway, and when Emily saw him, she set her tote bag down on a nearby end table and hurried to him, lighting up with joy.

"Daddy, hello!"

Emily hadn't seen Maximo Prentiss (in person, at least) since he'd left for a sabbatical in Italy, and that had been at the same time she'd joined the BAU.

"How are you, my child?" he held Emily's face in his hands and giving her a kiss on each cheek. "You are looking a bit peaky; have you been eating well?"

"Yes, daddy, I promise." Emily laughed and then beckoned for JJ to come join them. "I would like to introduce you to my friend, JJ."

"Hello, sir." JJ offered him her good hand for a handshake and as he sook it, she added something extra. "Pardon the awkwardness; I broke my arm recently, and I'm still getting used to being right-handed."

"That's quite alright, dearest JJ." Maximo chirped. "And please call me Max; even Emily's mother does, although now that you aren't seeing her in a formal setting such as you did the last time you saw her, she won't mind if you call her Lizzie."

"Really?"

"Really. Do you want to know something funny about her?"

JJ nodded, realizing that the man before her was who Emily had inherited her impish nature from. "Yes, please."

"I've known Emily's mother since we were both eleven, and… you know Erin Strauss, yes?"

"Very well, as she's our unit chief at Quantico. Emily also told me that you, Elizabeth, and Erin went to boarding school together, and that Erin introduced the two of you to each other on your first day of school when you were all eleven."

Maximo praised JJ for knowing that part of the story. "They taught me English, too, but since I spoke mostly Italian at the time, I got hung up on saying Elizabeth's name properly and called her Elisabetta for the longest time because that's the Italian version."

"Oh, don't you be shy." Emily said in a teasing manner to her father before turning to her girlfirend. "Jayje, he _still_ calls her that, and he calls her by her actual name so rarely that it sounds like a foreign concept, even to me."

"I'll be sure to log that one away."

"Okay, I'll admit to that," Maximo laughed. "But all of that being said, I've always referred to Elisabetta as Betty, and Erin calls her Squeaky because when Elisabetta gets worked up, she sounds _very_ squeaky, just like the cartoon character—"

"Maximo Giovanni, you silly old man!"

The woman of the hour appeared from what JJ presumed was the kitchen because she was wearing an apron over a casual outfit. She stood in front of her husband with her hands on her hips, her face bearing an expression of exasperation, and JJ had to take a slight step backwards because it was identical to the look of exasperation she'd seen Emily's face whenever Spencer went into his 'ultra trivia' spiels that she couldn't escape.

"I swear to God," Elizabeth warned."That if you tell the girls how I came to get those names, I'll make sure that you don't get any cannoli tonight, and I've been slaving over those all morning!"

Maximo fell silent immediately, and Emily turned to JJ to explain. "Cannoli is an Italian dessert that mother learned how to make for daddy when they were kids to cheer him up when he got homesick. Let's just say it's his Kryptonite."

"Well," Maximo said cheekily, stealing JJ's attention again. "If we're talking about everyone's Kryptonite, _Emilia's_ is Turkish Delight."

"I will _totally_ remember that one, Max." JJ responded with equal cheekiness. "Thank you."

"Now that I think about it, Betty has recipe for Turkish Delight somewhere. I'll teach you to make it."

Nearby, Emily hung her head. "You use my real name _and_ you tell her my _biggest_ weakness? Anything _else_ you want tell her?"

" _Tell_ JJ? No. _Show_ her? Yes."

Emily gasped because she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Don't you _dare!"_

Maximo raised an eyebrow. "Just _watch_ me!"

Elizabeth finally intervened. "Maximo, _no;_ we _agreed_ that Emilia's baby books are _off_ limits until _after_ we've all had wine! Please go mind the spaghetti so it doesn't burn!"

Still in a playful mood, Maximo gave his wife a flourishing bow. "Yes, my love. I will away."

He scuttled off, leaving Emily to shake her head in embarrassment while Elizabeth approached JJ and gave her a warm hug.

"Hi, JJ." she greeted her when they pulled apart. "It's wonderful to see you again."

"Likewise, Lizzie." JJ agreed, smiling happily.

Elizabeth nodded towards JJ's cast. "Emilia told us that you broke your arm, so if you need help with anything, just let me, Max, or one of the staff know, alright?"

"Okay." JJ smiled more. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Are you hungry?"

Right on cue, JJ felt her stomach rumble and the babies wiggle around in reaction to it. "Very much so."

"Perfect! You and Emilia can come join us in the kitchen; lunch is nearly ready."

Emily stepped in. "We'll be along in a minute, mother. How about you keep an eye on daddy so he doesn't sneak some of the cannoli?"

Realizing that she had a point, Elizabeth hurried off.

Emily turned to JJ and laughed nervously. "Well, that's what my parents are like when they're just being themselves and don't have any formal business to attend to. I think they both love you already."

"I love them, too." JJ found herself saying, and it wasn't a lie. "But how did Elizabeth come to get called Betty and Squeaky?"

"Oh, that." Emily snickered as they headed to the kitchen. "Daddy was talking about Betty Boop; mother really _does_ sound squeaky like her when she gets agitated. It's hilarious."

"And your name is actually Emilia?"

Emily nodded. "Emilia Magdalene Prentiss is my birth name, although there's also the name I gave myself on Confirmation Day."

"Oh, what is it?"

By now, they were in the kitchen already, and Elizabeth and Maximo could be seen at the kitchen island, working on lunch together.

\Having heard JJ's question, Maximo asked, "What is what?"

"Emily's confirmation name." JJ clarified.

A mischievous glint appeared in the man's eyes. "Oh, it's a good one!"

"Daddy, _no!"_ Emily cried, turning a bright shade of red. "Could you _not?"_

JJ egged Maximo on, really getting into the spirit of things. "Tell me!"

"Her full, formal name is Emilia Magdalene _Gertrude_ Prentiss."

JJ hadn't been to church since losing Rosaline, nor had her mother, but she wouldn't deny that she'd grown up in the Roman Catholic Church, too.

"Isn't that the Patron Saint of _nuns?"_

Emily was taken aback for a second, but then the pieces fell together in her head. "Yes, but if you knew that, then that means you also have a confirmation name! Don't you dare leave me out to dry after my dad just sold me up the river!"

"It's Adelaide."

"So I got the Patron Saint of nuns, and you have the Patron Saint of parents of large families?"

"You bet!"

Emily just sighed, so Elizabeth spoke up.

"I have to ask—only because watching you two is thoroughly amusing—but are you a couple now?"

"Yes!" the agents answered in unison.

Elizabeth turned to her husband, hand out. "Called it! That's fifty bucks, my love!"

Maximo sighed and dug a fifty dollar bill out of his pocket gave it to Elizabeth, who immediately put it in her own pocket as she congratulated Emily and JJ.

Maximo did, too, and he tacked on, "Word of advice: don't ever make a bet with Elisabetta; she can bleed you dry."

"No, daddy." Emily laughed. "It's _you_ she bleeds dry, and it's _me_ that knows better."

Maximo wanted to make a comeback, but Elizabeth steered him back in the direction of getting lunch ready.

Emily turned to JJ again and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Welcome to the mad house, babe."

JJ kissed her back. "I think I'm gonna like it here."

* * *

After lunch, JJ and Emily could no longer contain their excitement about the babies, nor did they feel that their baggy sweater dresses hide their baby bumps for much longer, so the younger couple found their bag of treasures and asked Maximo and Elizabeth to join them in the living room.

"It's a bit of long and dramatic story about how Emily and I became a couple," JJ began as Emily began arranging all of the parcels on the coffee table between the armchairs they were all occupying. "But neither of us have been happier or in love, even."

"And," Emily said, sitting back her chair and spread her hands over the display she'd just made. "We want you both to share in our joy, too. These are some early Christmas presents we want to give."

JJ and Emily held hands and watched as Elizabeth and Maximo found the with their names on them and opened them.

When they made the connection, especially after seeing the glass house, they set their new gifts down and looked at JJ and Emily with an intense amount of love.

"We're going to be grandparents?" Maximo asked breathlessly.

"Yes," Emily nodded. "And it's a long story, but JJ and I are _both_ pregnant. She's even carrying twins."

Elizabeth and Maximo both cheered, although she turned to him, hand out again.

"And that's one _hundred_ big ones you owe me; I called it that Emilia would be pregnant from the IVF treatments by Christmas."

Maximo took more money out of his pocket and counted out the correct amount of bank notes and handed them over to his wife. JJ and Emily were very, very amused now.

Before either of them had a chance to make a joke about it, both Maximo and Elizabeth were on their feet and pulling JJ and Emily to theirs.

The next thing JJ and Emily knew, Maximo and Elizabeth were hugging them both.


	15. Fourteen

Christmas Eve Day involved decorating the tree, and that meant going to the attic to retrieve the decorations. Normally, the maids would retrieve the everything, but Maximo wanted to do it himself since the whole family was home now. Emily, daddy's girl that she was, tagged along with him.

JJ had to turn down the invitation to go up to the attic because she was very allergic to dust, and the last thing she needed was to have an allergic reaction to the substance while pregnant.

That left her on her own for awhile.

"JJ? Are you in here?"

JJ was in hers and Emily's large bedroom on the bed, which was just out of the sight of the doorway. Judging by the volume projection of Elizabeth's voice, JJ realized, that was exactly where she was located, waiting for an invitation.

"Yeah, I'm in here." she called back. "You can come in, if you want."

Elizabeth entered, and when she saw JJ, she sat with her. "What are you doing up here? I thought you'd be down by the fireplace."

The front room of the Prentiss house boasted a very grand fireplace and a comfortable sitting area. JJ could be found in front of it when it was lit, basking in the warmth, just as a cat would lay in a patch of sunlight for hours on end. The babies really appreciated when she did that.

"I was just thinking about tomorrow, and I got distracted."

"Because it's your birthday?"

"That, and ever since we lost my dad and my sister, Christmas just hasn't been the same."

JJ looked sad, so Elizabeth reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

JJ's heart immediately filled with love for Elizabeth because while she loved her own mother very much and would never stop loving her, there were just some things now that they couldn't talk about because their lives had been so dramatically altered in such a short amount of time. Even Archer couldn't talk about these things anymore.

Now that she'd spent time with all of the Prentisses, she was remembering what it was like to have have a full, normal family, who loved her without reserve, in spite of the baggage that she carried.

Emily was rehabilitating her and fixing her broken heart, Maximo could put a smile on her face at the drop of a hat, and Elizabeth was very easy to talk to.

"What if I _do_ want to talk about it?"

"Then I'm all ears, although on one condition."

"Oh?"

"That you let let me do your hair for you." Elizabeth winked, nodding towards the hairbrush and hair-tie in JJ's lap. "I imagine that brushing out your hair with one fully-functioning hand must be hard."

JJ laughed as she handed the brush and hair-tie to Elizabeth, turning her back to her so she'd have easy access to her hair. "It is, although Emily has been doing my hair for me since I broke my arm because she offered to. She's also good at it."

"Emilia started doing her own hair when she was twelve, and was adamant that I not touch it, so I didn't, even when she went goth about five years later. She wanted to learn to be independent."

Elizabeth began brushing JJ's hair.

"What's this about Christmastime being hard? Did you lose your father and your sister at the same time?"

"No, otherwise my mom would have lost her mind, but they both left the world in tragic ways."

"As I said, JJ, I'm all ears."

And so JJ told Elizabeth about what had happened to her family.

By the end, Elizabeth had given her a hair-wrapped ponytail, and JJ thanked her, but her heart was flip-flopping because it had been far too long since she'd confided in a parental figure about the darker side of her childhood.

"Sweetheart," Elizabeth turned JJ around so they were looking at each other again. "I'm so incredibly sorry that these things happened to you and your family. Being left behind, even when someone dies in a tragic accident, is one of the worst feelings in the world. You just want to quit and lie down."

JJ furrowed an eyebrow as she wiped the remainder of her tears. "You sound like you've experienced it before."

"I have, and so has Max."

"What happened?"

"I'm an orphan; my parents both passed away from injuries they'd sustained in a car crash a few months before Emilia was born."

"Oh, Elizabeth." JJ said sympathetically. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." Elizabeth patted JJ's hand. "It was Emilia who kept me going on the dark days after my parents died. Knowing she was there, especially when she gave me kicks and nudges, was a great comfort."

"She _still_ has that influence on people." JJ said softly, thinking of quiet times she and Emily had had in the past few days, cuddling and just enjoying each other's company. "I've never loved anyone more than her. Or _deeper,_ even."

"What a wonderful thing for a mother to hear about her only child." Elizabeth's own heart flip-flopped. "You are _so_ precious, JJ, and _such_ a love. I'm so glad that you and Emilia found each other; Max and I have never seen her so happy as an adult."

JJ was the one a puddle of mush now, but she got them back on topic, as they'd deviated from it a bit.

"What happened to Max?"

"He caught his father engaging in adulterous activities."

"Oh, dear…"

"Amadeo wasn't always bad, but near the end of his life, especially after Max and I got engaged, he was a _really_ big jerk."

"You two didn't get along, then?"

Elizabeth nodded. "He didn't care that I come from a well-to-do family, or even that I never had any little boys; no… Amadeo didn't approve of me because I'm American. Even my dual Italian citizenship didn't change his mind. He always thought that Max could do better than me."

"Seriously?"

"Mhm. The affair was a particularly devastating matter because Amadeo was a high-profile politician; his biggest goal was to become the Italian Prime Minister. He was quite close, too, but he became so humiliated that he hung himself a few days later. It's a blessing that Emilia never met him."

"How did Max's mother handle all it?" JJ asked, recalling what a mess her own mother had been after what had happened to them.

"She knew Amadeo was a jerk and she wasn't quite surprised by the affair, but she held her head high and kept going; she wasn't going to let Amadeo's infidelities shame her, nor even the suicide." Elizabeth explained. "This all happened when I was in my third trimester of carrying Emilia, and we were going to be in Italy for another three years, anyway, so my mother-in-law stayed with us at our house in Venice and she looked after me. _That_ was also a blessing because Max had to make a trip stateside two weeks before Emilia was born."

"At least your mother-in-law found it in herself to be happy and turned to family, even in the worst of times. What was her name?"

"Emilia Ginvera, actually."

JJ raised her eyebrows. "The English version of those names are Emily and Jennifer, huh?"

"Indeed, Jennifer. You've got a good ear." Elizabeth praised. "I like to think it's fate that you and Emilia met."

"It feels like that to me, too."

Elizabeth smiled and said in a tone of reflection, "Max's mother passed away a few years ago, and we named Emilia after her. She would have really loved you."

JJ beamed at that and Elizabeth pressed an affectionate kiss to her forehead.

"I know you've probably heard this many times, but it really does get better, even if it takes longer than you'd like."

"Thanks, Elizabeth. I really needed to hear that."

Elizabeth stood and put JJ's hairbrush on her bedside table and smiled at her.

"Any time, sweet one. I'm so glad you're part of the family now."

"I'm so glad to be here and to be part of a family where I can really be myself, baggage and all."

With each passing minute, Elizabeth was coming to love JJ like she'd come from her own body, but even still, she had to refrain from hugging her even more because otherwise, the others would probably break into the snacks they'd made for tree decorating time.

"I'm going to check on the others to make sure they didn't go too far down Memory Lane or start on the snacks. That should give you enough time to clean yourself up."

"Okay." JJ smiled. "See you in a minute."

* * *

Tree decorating wasn't the only eventful thing that happened for the family that night; for the first time since she was eleven, JJ found herself attending a Christmas Eve church service.

It was very nice, even though it passed by in a blur.

When it was over, she and Emily went with Elizabeth and Maximo to the corner of the sanctuary where dozens upon dozens of of white votive candles were arranged in a display at the foot of a large marble statue of the Virgin Mary.

The tiny candles were in two very long metal display cases, and there were even a few jars filled with elongated matches attached to the display at different intervals, all filled with elongated lightning sticks for people to light the candles with.

JJ and her family each lit a handful of the tiny candles, each for different reasons, or in memory of people they'd lost along the way.

When Emily finished lighting candles for her two miscarried children and her aborted child ("My three lost souls," she'd told JJ), as well for her grandmother, she noticed that the light was on in the confessional box and that the door was open, she felt a tugging on her heartstrings to got talk to the priest; she was long overdue for a chat with him, anyway.

"Babe," she said to her girlfriend, touching a hand to the swell in the blond's middle. "I need to go to Father Noah. Do you mind hanging out with my parents for a little bit?"

"No, not at all." JJ stood on her tiptoes and gave Emily a peck on the cheek. "You go ahead and go."

Emily thanked her and headed over to the confessional box, leaving JJ to sit down in the nearest pew. The babies both seemed to appreciate that because they both became less wigglier when they sensed that she wasn't in motion.

"Mind if I join you?"

Looking up JJ saw Maximo standing beside her at the end of the pew. She immediately moved over and patted the space beside her.

"Go ahead."

He sat beside her. "Betty is off chatting with Erin; _she_ can always be found at church every Sunday, and also on holidays."

"I never would have pegged Erin Strauss for a churchgoer…"

"There are a lot of things you can't peg her for unless you know her like we do, but I digress. How are you doing, dear JJ?"

"Really good, actually." she answered in total honesty. "I had a chat with Lizzie earlier; did she tell you about it?"

Maximo nodded. "That, she did. She also told me that you know now about how her parents and my father all died… _and_ about how you lost your father and your sister."

"Tonight is the first time I've been to church, just for myself, since my sister died, and you know what?"

"Please tell."

"Today has also been the first time since I was a kid that Christmastime hasn't made me feel sad. I feel… _peaceful."_

"That makes me so very happy. May _I_ share something with _you?"_

Taken aback, but still deeply touched, JJ nodded. "Sure."

"Erin told this to Elisabetta and I after the tragedies we experienced: losing someone is never easy, but one day, you'll remember them and it won't hurt… you'll be happy."

Those words unclogged a well deep inside JJ because they struck such a deep chord, and she began to cry and cry, just from the emotion she was feeling.

Maximo held her in his arms, very patient and very full of love. Now that JJ was unguarded, he understood what Emily had meant when she'd said that JJ was in need of some extra love right now.

What broke his heart the most was that JJ had been fatherless for most of her life now. He was going to step up to the plate and look after her the way he'd looked after Emily since the first time Elizabeth had woken him up in the middle of the night to feel her kick because he already loved JJ that much.

He was going to do his part to help her heal.


	16. Fifteen

It was nearing nine o'clock at night by the time JJ and her family returned from church, and when they were all in their bedrooms, changing from their church clothes back to casual ones, JJ noticed that Emily was changing straight into her pajamas.

"What's the matter?" JJ asked her.

"The baby isn't cooperating with me right now and is making me feel wiped out." Emily laid down on the bed, sighing at the relief that the soft mattress brought her. "I'll be as right as rain in the morning, but I'm afraid I won't be much fun with you and my parents right now."

"Don't worry about, it Em. Lizzie and Max have completely taken to spoiling me like you said they would, and I think I imprinted on them like a baby duck. They like it, and so do I."

Before she left the room, she went to Emily's side of the bed and pulled her pajama shirt back just enough to expose her bump.

"Hey, little Baby Bear!" she cooed softly, placing featherlight kisses to the rounded surface. "You be good for mama right now and let her sleep, alright? She really needs it!"

Emily thought she was going to melt as JJ spent a few more minutes kissing her belly and talking to the baby; JJ was the most gentle person she'd ever been with, and the fact that she had the capacity to be gentle, despite all of the abuse she had suffered in her time with Baylor, simply amazed Emily.

So gentle was JJ, in fact, that her kisses and soft tone lulled Emily straight to sleep.

* * *

When JJ went downstairs, she found Elizabeth and Maximo in the front living room where the Christmas tree stood, fully decorated and surrounded by Christmas presents. The fireplace was roaring, and there were even yet-to-be stuffed stockings hanging from on the wall to the right of the fireplace. There was even a stocking for JJ, and she was both touched by the gesture and excited because even though she'd grown up well-off, she'd never had a stocking before.

"No Emilia?" Maximo asked when they saw her.

"She's wiped out." JJ explained as she sat on her favorite oversized footstool adjacent to the fireplace. "I'm not, though."

"Fantastic." Elizabeth chirped. "We were trying to decide which Christmas movie to watch, but now that you're here, we're going to put that aside for just a moment."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"We're very curious about you, JJ, and there's only so much that Emilia can tell us."

"And now you two are going to grill me, huh?" JJ joked as she moved her chair closer to the other two.

"In a non-stressful way, but yes." Maximo smiled. "What can you tell us about your siblings?"

JJ smiled. "I have a brother named Archer, and he's a decade older than me."

"What does he do?"

"He's an accountant at a business firm in Missouri."

Elizabeth asked, "Is he married?"

"Uh-huh. His wife's name is Cho, and she's from of Tokyo's largest and oldest power families. They have an eight-year-old girl named Kaida, but I know for a fact that they're planning on giving her a sibling in the coming year."

"Do you see that part of your family often?"

"Every other year at Christmas—they go to Tokyo Disneyland in the off year."

Elizabeth lit up at mention of Disneyland and was about to ask JJ if she'd ever been to the Paris version, but Maximo intervened, realizing that if his wife started her question, she'd be the one going down a rabbit trail, something she didn't often do.

"JJ, my dear," the Italian man said. "What can you tell us about Rosaline?"

"She was wonderful and full of love, but also sad. She would have loved all of you very much, though."

"That's a good thing to hear." Maximo commented as Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "What was your father like?"

JJ smiled fondly; she had been a daddy's girl, through and through. "He was hilarious, very cool, and even belonged to Mensa International because he had an IQ of 165."

"What kind of job did he have with an IQ like _that?"_

"High school history and varsity football coach, actually. I always tagged along to the practices, and whenever the cheerleaders had practice, they'd be out on the field and they let me hang out with them. They taught me about tumbling and how to do cartwheels, round-offs, and handstands, and when the coach wasn't looking, they'd throw me up in the air and catch me. I even learned how to do flips in midair."

"I suppose you became a cheerleader, then?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yep. I was a cheerleader all the way through middle school before I started playing soccer in my freshman year of high school so I could get myself a scholarship to Penn State."

"At any rate, that sounds a lot better and easier to manage than Emilia's pyromaniac phase when she was in primary school…"

JJ raised an eyebrow. _"Excuse_ me? Emily was a _pyro_ when she was little?"

"Oh, yes. That was during the years we lived in Saudi Arabia; she made friends with some rowdy older boys at the international school, and they like to set things on fire." Elizabeth shuddered. "It became a case of 'monkey see, monkey do,' and Emilia was at it for awhile before we caught her and managed to get her to channel all of that energy into cooking because _that_ was actually _constructive."_

Maximo cleared throat. "I believe we were talking of your father, yes? What was his name?"

"Dashiel Aleksei Jareau; his father was from central Paris, and his mother was from Saint Petersburg, but everyone called him 'Coach Dash' or 'Dash' because his name and title invited it. He also thought the nicknames were amusing."

"Was he fluent in either of his parents' native languages?"

JJ nodded. "Both in equal measure, and he even had a French accent. I remember people always asked him why he settled in a small nowhere town in a central state when he was literally smart enough to move us down to Cape Canaveral in Florida so he could work for NASA."

"What was his answer?"

"He said was because he loved to teach, and because he didn't want to be in a place or job where he would have missed his kids growing up. My mom took a job close to home for the same reason."

"Oh?"

"She became a librarian at the local library just before she found out I was on the way, but she runs the place now."

"What's her name?"

"Cassandra-Mae, and she's a Southern Belle from an old, old Alabama family, but how she ended up in Pennsylvania preferring to be called Sandy and raising a family of her own with my dad out in the country is another story. I hope you two can meet her because despite what most people take her for, she's extremely fascinating and has been all over the world."

"Has Emilia met her?"

"Only on Skype, and it was just for a little bit the other night because she was packing for a Disney cruise. They got along well and are _eerily_ alike."

Emily's parents laughed when JJ shuddered, but when they heard her stomach emit an audible rumble, they changed tracks.

"Are you hungry, dearheart?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes." JJ said, feeling surprised. "I just didn't realize it until now."

Maximo turned to Elizabeth and said something to her in Italian. JJ didn't understand entirely what they were saying, even when Elizabeth responded in kind, but she watched in amusement as it went from a conversation to a quick argument that resulted in Elizabeth winning and Maximo going to the kitchen.

"What just happened?" JJ asked when she and Elizabeth were alone.

"He is going to make sandwiches and hot chocolate."

Elizabeth picked up the TV remote on the table next to her side of the couch and flipped on the big plasma TV on the wall directly opposite them as she beckoned for JJ to come join her.

"What was the argument?" JJ asked as she sat next to Elizabeth and pulled a warm blanket over herself with her good hand. "The only part of it I understood was when Emily's name was mentioned."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Max wanted to go check on Emilia, but I told him that that would be unwise because she turns into a light sleeper when she's unwell. She's been that way since she was a kid, and she can turn unpleasant when woken up in that condition."

"Then we really _should_ let the sleeping dogs lie."

"Uh-huh, but it means that it'll be just you, Max, and myself. Are you alright with that?"

"Yes." JJ smiled. "I just haven't had two parents doting on me since I was in elementary school."

Elizabeth turned her attention from the TV to JJ. "I liked you from the moment we met at the BAU during the mob case, but Maximo and I became smitten with you from the moment Emilia sent us that picture of the two of you in the jet. Do yo like the attention?"

"One hundred percent." JJ reassured her. "It just feels like a brand new experience because it's been so long. It makes me feel really loved."

Elizabeth pressed a kiss to JJ's temple, relieved that she hadn't been rebuffed. "I'm glad to hear that because I love having a new daughter. Now—how about we see if there are any holiday specials on TV? We usually watch something in Italian, but I think we can make an exception this year."

Elizabeth and JJ proceeded to channel surf after that, and just as Maximo returned with a tray of hot ham and cheese paninis and steaming mugs of hot chocolate, JJ told Elizabeth to refrain from changing the channel because the program had caught her attention.

"What movie is this?" she asked, accepting a plate with a sandwich on it.

"This," Maximo glanced at the screen as he settled on JJ's free side. "Is _It's A Wonderful Life_ , and it looks like it's in the opening credits."

"I've never seen it." JJ admitted.

On JJ's other side, Elizabeth put the remote down and picked up her mug of hot chocolate, blowing on it before saying, "Then you'd better settle in, JJ, because this is what we're going to watch."

JJ didn't have any objections to that.

* * *

By the time the movie was done, JJ finished her snack, and not only was her appetite sated and her offspring still, but her heart was also full; she'd really benefited from having one-on-one time with Maximo and Elizabeth, and it was clearer than ever that they loved her like she'd been theirs from the start, and JJ loved knowing that.

When she bade them good night and went upstairs, she made an extra effort not to wake Emily, remembering what her mother had said about her being a light sleeper and a sourpuss when she wasn't feeling so hot.

Emily woke, anyway.

"Jayje?" Emily turned over to face her as she settled in to the bed and pulled the blankets over herself. "You're just now coming up?"

"It's late." JJ cooed to her, gently caressing her hair. "I watched a movie on TV with your parents; we bonded."

Emily stifled a yawn; she was already falling back asleep. "I'm glad."

"So am I." JJ told her. "I really needed it."

Emily closed her eyes, but as she did so, she pulled JJ closer to her and slid a hand under the blonde's shirt, rubbing her baby bump; she'd figured out recently that JJ was fond of that. JJ did the same with Emily, wanting to feel her bump, too.

Even as their relationship grew, day by day, they wanted to do everything they could to include the babies in the bonding, too. They were becoming a family, even if it wasn't in the most traditional of orders.

"I love you, Jennifer." Emily sighed contently before she finally fell asleep.

"And I love you, Emilia," JJ managed before sleep overcame her, as well.

As the pair slept and the full moon shone its light through the window, a snowflake hit the ground outside. And then another and another.

Within an hour, the clock down in the main hall struck midnight, and the whole street outside was blanketed in snow. There was no end in sight, meaning they were going to have a white Christmas.

This was going to be JJ's best birthday ever.


	17. Sixteen

Christmas morning came with JJ and Emily waking early, and with Emily covering JJ in soft, delicate kisses for a few moments as she marveled over how happy it made her to wake up with such a beautiful person every morning.

Had they not been in danger of a possible interruption from Emily's parents, JJ would have let Emily take her, right then and there on the bed, but since neither of them were at all quiet during sex when they were enjoying it, that would have to wait for another time, when they were actually alone.

They would have to make do with kisses for the time being.

When they were decent and mostly ready to go downstairs and socialize with Elizabeth and Maximo, the couple stopped for a moment at the window and looked out at Kissinger Lane to see that it had been turned into a winter wonderland from the snow fall in the night.

A happy thought occurred to JJ suddenly, and it actually made her blush.

Emily noticed. "What is it, birthday girl?"

"We've only been awake an hour, and this is already turning out to be a great birthday because I thought I'd be alone this year—maybe even at the office—but now I'm under the same roof as my amazing new family." JJ tore her eyes away from the winter wonderland outside, planting a near brain-melting kiss on Emily's lips. "And between you and I, we're carrying our _three_ children, who, by my next birthday, will be able to enjoy Christmas with us, if not just the sights and sounds that it brings. A family of my own is all I've ever wanted and is a thing I thought I'd never have, but now… I _have_ all of that and _more_ because I'm with you, and you are the love of my life."

Emily's heart immediately filled up with an incredible amount of love that brought tears to her eyes, prompting her to hug JJ for a moment.

 _"You_ are the love of _mine,"_ she told her. "And there's nobody else I'd rather be having a family with."

Those words warmed JJ's heart even more and she pulled away to look at her girlfriend.

"Em?"

"Yes?"

"Just don't wait until my next birthday to ask me to be your wife, alright?"

Emily started to respond, but when she fully processed what she'd said, her heart first turned over and then she saw that JJ was already putting on a sweater over her pajamas and slippers on her feet. She even grabbed the tote bag of gifts she and Emily had bought for each other and Elizabeth and Maximo with her good hand, and when she turned to look at Emily, she gave her a look that was very magnetic. The brunette immediately found herself being drawn to the blond, almost as if she was under a spell.

"Wait, what?" she finally managed to say, slipping an arm in the crook of JJ's when she offered it.

"Well," JJ said slyly, leading her out into the hallway, towards the staircase. "If _you_ don't ask me, I'll ask _you,_ but I just don't want to steal your thunder."

"Well, that's nice of you. When we _are_ engaged, can we get a house in DuPont Circle?"

"DuPont Circle?" JJ echoed as they headed down the stairs and stopped on the landing. "Come on, Em, we're having _three_ kids, and that calls for a house in a _proper_ family neighborhood, like say… Capitol Hill. The Hotchners live there, and they love it."

"I guess we can look at real estate listings for houses in Capitol Hill when vacation is over." Emily said. "Can we get a cat for the babies?"

"Only if you want me sneezing uncontrollably and breaking into hives."

"Okay… then we'll get them a puppy and call him Chico."

"Chico?!" JJ protested. "Absolutely not, and that's the kind of name you give to a hamster!"

Emily thought quickly as they continued down the second leg of the staircase. "Then we'll call the puppy Sergio. That name is cooler."

"Yes." JJ nodded in agreement. "Sergio is _much_ cooler."

"And speaking of names," Emily pointed to her middle when they reached the bottom of the stairs. "I've got Baby Bear in here, but the twins need nicknames, too. They shouldn't be left out."

JJ was about to say something in agreement to that, but her thoughts were derailed when all of a sudden, a very familiar aroma filled her nose and she turned to Emily in surprise.

"Is that biscuits and gravy? Those are my favorite things to eat for breakfast; how did you know?"

"Because, my love," Emily said, walking her towards the kitchen. "Every time we go to a southern state, especially one of the _deep_ south states, you always manage to find a place that has biscuits on the menu and get them there if you can't order them to the hotel room."

"Huh." JJ said, feeling a little dazed. "I didn't think anybody noticed…"

Emily laughed. "Well, I _am_ a profiler, so it's almost second nature to observe the little things, even with my friends."

"And you told your parents that I like to eat biscuits and gravy, huh?" JJ asked, thinking of how she'd grown up eating a lot of southern cooking, as well as classic French and Russian cuisine.

"Uh-huh, but all I did was tell them that biscuits and gravy are your comfort food. It _smells_ like they just ran with it, which ought to be fun because they're excellent cooks."

Emily hadn't been kidding around about her parents being excellent cooks because once they greeted her and JJ, they showed them the spread of breakfast food they'd made: besides the biscuits and gravy, there was also scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, pancakes for those who wanted any, hash browns, a beautiful fruit salad, and a tall pitcher of orange juice. There was also three drinking glasses for the juice. The display looked heavenly.

"Wow!" JJ exclaimed. "You did all this for me?"

Elizabeth nodded. "We did."

"We thought it would be nice for you to have a little taste of home, especially on a day like today." Maximo added. "You like it?"

"Oh, yes." JJ told the elder Prentisses. "Thank you both so very much."

After breakfast, the family sat in the living room, opening stockings before they got to the presents.

"Jennifer?"

JJ looked up, slightly surprised at the use of her actual name and turned to Elizabeth, who had called her.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You haven't opened your stocking yet."

"I'm fine." JJ promised as she rubbed the large soft red fur-trimmed stocking in her lap; it was packed with goodies and trinkets, and there was even a candy cane hooked over the brim. "I've just never had a stocking before."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Not once?"

"Nope. I've had plenty of presents over the years, but never a stocking."

At that, Maximo and Emily both looked up from their own stockings and looked at the other two.

"It looks like there's a first time for everything." Maximo chirped.

"Go on, babe." Emily encouraged JJ. "It's always a treasure trove, and you seriously never know what you'll find!"

'Treasure trove' was the correct descriptor because by the time JJ had finished unwrapping everything, she'd amassed a new deck of playing cards, a new pair of warm woolen socks, a box of her favorite mint tea, an orange and a few chocolates, new travel and mini-mergency kits and aviator sunglasses (all of which Emily had gotten, too), a new pocket knife (which was fantastic because she'd lost her old one in a tussle by a river during the Oregon case), and even a $50 iTunes gift card. Just for fun, there was an instant win scratch card, and even a bundle of two, five, and ten dollar bills with a twenty tucked in between. They were found at the very bottom of the stocking with a note wrapped around them explaining that she should have some spending money for food, just in case, since she was always traveling. Emily got spending money, too.

JJ was impressed with her haul, and she couldn't imagine what else was waiting for her under the tree. It turned out quite a lot: a new hat, glove, and scarf set, new pajamas and slippers, a new pen and notepad for when she was out in the field (although she'd have to wait until her arm healed before she could use those), desktop and wall calendars for her office, and amongst the treasures from Emily was a personalized ornament for her to hang on the tree since the rest of them had personalized ornaments hanging up, too. By the end of the present-opening, JJ was feeling more loved then ever.

"JJ," Elizabeth said after everyone had opened their presents. "There's one last parcel here, and it's from one of your friends."

"Oh?" JJ asked as she accepted the package and put it in her lap. "Do you know who?"

"That tech girl of yours, Penelope. She called me and asked if she could drop it off here before she left for her vacation."

Touched that Penelope had gotten her a birthday present and mildly amused that she had tracked the ambassador down, JJ unwrapped the gift.

Her heart was immediately in her throat when she saw what the gift was: a picture frame with a picture of her, Hope, and Vivian in the hospital, giving them kisses and cuddles. How she loved those little girls, and always would.

"Look who it is." she said, handing the frame to Emily.

When Emily saw who it was, she immediately hugged JJ, remembering how much Hope and Vivian had imprinted on JJ and vice versa.

"It's okay, babe." Emily told her. "Now you have a picture to put next to the one of Zooey that Derek gave you."

JJ just nodded and leaned into Emily as she thought back to how much Zooey, Hope, and Vivian had changed her life.

Emily handed the frame to Elizabeth, explaining, "Those little girls are Hope and Vivian Greenaway, and JJ rescued them when we were in New York and her ex accidentally kidnapped them during a carjacking. Their mother is actually the woman I replaced in the BAU."

"If not for those dear little ones, finding out about Emily's baby, and then looking after an infant girl for awhile during a case in Oregon the week before that," JJ chimed in, rubbing the bulge in her middle and smiling as she felt her little ones tumble around. "I wouldn't have had the strength to even _have_ the twins. That's why I got so emotional."

Closest to JJ, Maximo patted his new daughter's cheek in an affectionate way as he stood. "Take it from us, dearheart: family is everything, even if you have to take the long way around to figure it out."

"And," Elizabeth stood and handed the picture frame back to JJ. "You will understand when the babies all come, but being a mother truly _is_ the best and most special feeling in the world."

JJ took the frame back and held it over her heart. "I can't wait for that day."

Elizabeth smiled fondly at her and left the room with Maximo, heading in the direction of the kitchen, discussing what to make for dinner later. Though their family wasn't particularly large, the Prentisses had always been a family to stand on tradition, and Christmas dinner was part of the holiday that they always took very seriously.

When they left, JJ was grinning like she'd been wrapped in a blanket of warm fuzzies.

"What are you thinking?" Emily asked.

"That I'm home," JJ told her. "And that I've never been happier in my life."


	18. Seventeen

Just before dinner time, Elizabeth went in search of Emily and JJ, and found them in the study, playing checkers against each other.

"Hey!" Emily was complaining. "How the hell do you _already_ have a kinged piece?"

"Archer and Rosaline taught me how to play checkers when I was old enough to understand the basic gist of the game." JJ explained smoothly, laughing when she saw Emily move one of her pieces forward a single tile. "They also taught me how to play chess, and I've seen you play Spencer before."

Chess was more Emily's cup of tea, so she asked, "Have you, now?"

"Mhm, and I could _easily_ smash your King's Defense with the Nimzowitsch Defense."

Emily opened her mouth and then promptly closed it, not knowing what to say to that. JJ had never once before mentioned that she knew how to play chess, but here, she had basically said, "I see your complicated chess opening and will see up two more." This must have been the legendary Jennifer Jareau competitive streak she'd only ever heard about coming into play.

Amused, Elizabeth kissed JJ on the top of the head and said, "That's my girl!" before using her newly crowned playing piece to jump three of Emily's open pieces for her.

Flustered, Emily sat back in her chair and turned to her mother. "Was there something that you wanted to tell us?"

"We are expecting a guest for dinner, and they'll be here in about twenty minutes."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?"

"Erin."

"Mer—"

JJ began to swear, although not in English, but Elizabeth intervened before she could finish the word. "Max and I are polyglots, Jennifer, and Emilia is a hyperpolyglot. Do you know what those words mean?"

"That you and Max are fluent in several foreign languages and that Emily is fluent in at least _five_ of them?"

"You got it. All three of us recognize French swears when we hear them, and Erin would recognize one, too."

"Would she recognize a Russian swear?"

A twinkle of mischief appeared in Elizabeth's eyes at that question. "Erin is the daughter of two former ambassadors, meaning that she grew up all over the world, and she's British, through and through, but she was born in Moscow and lived there with her parents, brothers, and sisters until she was five, so I can safely say that she'd recognize not only recognize a Russian swear, but also know how to respond to it if she was in a silly enough mood."

JJ furrowed an eyebrow in thought. "Just how many languages _is_ she fluent in?"

"Four, because she's a polyglot, too. She knows English, Russian, German, and Italian."

"I'm fluent in French and Russian," JJ pointed to herself. "But what about you and Max?"

"Besides English, we're proficient in Italian, French, Arabic, and Mandarin."

JJ looked over at Emily. "And what about you?"

"I know seven foreign languages, actually."

 _"Seven?!"_

Emily nodded. "I can actually give Spencer a run for his money in that department because I know Italian, Spanish, Arabic, French, Korean, Mandarin, and Japanese. I've also lived in London, Rome and Venice, Mexico City, Saudi Arabia, Paris and Bordeaux, Seoul, Beijing, and even Tokyo."

JJ knew that Emily was a well-traveled woman, but she never would have guessed that she had that much knowledge or experience in her arsenal.

"Oh, my gosh," was all she could manage.

"Guess what, sweetheart?" Elizabeth said to JJ. "Not only is Emilia an Italiana, but Italian is actually her first language because she refused to learn English until we moved to London when she was three."

Emily turned beet-red at that. "Mother, did you _have_ to tell her that?"

"I couldn't resist it, Emilia," Elizabeth said sincerely. "But really—Erin _is_ coming over for dinner, and I expect both you _and_ JJ to be on your best behavior because this is the first Christmas she's had since her divorce, and she's extra lonely because Astrid, Wilhelm, and Wolfgang have all elected to stay at their school in Zurich for the holidays."

Astrid, Wilhelm, and Wolfgang were Strauss' teenage daughter and sons.

"Okay, mother." Emily said as she and JJ started to clean up the checkers. "We'll be good."

"Thank you. By the way, Erin saw you two holding hands at church last night."

At this, Emily and JJ paused their activity and looked at their elder, silently pressing her for information about Strauss' opinion of them. The last thing either of them wanted was to get in trouble with the woman who signed their paychecks because of a romantic relationship that had started at the office.

"Chill out and breathe, alright?" Elizabeth laughed. "Erin actually guessed it, and when I told her she was correct, she said that it was 'about time' that you two were together. She seriously couldn't be happier for either of you."

Now neither JJ nor Emily knew what to say because it was very strange to hear that their CO had been rooting for them all along.

"Well," JJ finally said after a moment. "To say that that's a relief is an understatement."

"Erin will be amused by that." Elizabeth checked the time on her pocket watch. "Go ahead and go upstairs. I'll finish cleaning up for you."

They thanked her and left the room quickly.

When JJ and Emily rejoined their family a bit later, they were both were wearing very cute holiday sweater dresses and leggings that they'd bought just for the occasion, and now that everybody in their inner circle knew that they were both pregnant, they were extra happy that their new clothes showed off their baby bumps because neither of them, especially JJ's, were hideable anymore.

Emily was a fan of braids, so she gave herself an over-the-shoulder braid, but since JJ preferred to keep her hair out of the way since she had a handicap, Emily gave her a braided bun hairstyle upon request, even sticking in a few of the new decorative butterfly hair pins she'd given her as part of her birthday present stash.

Both JJ and Emily were feeling quite pleased with their new appearances and when they went downstairs together, they found the older adults gathered at the kitchen table—their favorite spot in their house—and they were happily gossiping together, a habit from their childhood, but when they saw JJ and Emily, they stopped what they were doing and gushed over how adorable the mothers-to-be-looked.

Dinner was ready not long after that.

* * *

Strauss came to the House of Prentiss bearing new gifts for her extended family, and because she remembered that it was JJ's birthday, she even had a present for her in the form of a $25 iTunes gift card and a new portable speaker/charging station for her phone.

"Wow, Erin!" JJ forced herself to use her superior's first name since they weren't at the office, and also because she had a feeling that she'd be using it a bit more in the future. "This is really nice; thank you!"

"You are so very welcome, Jennifer." Strauss shifted her weight from one foot to the other, almost nervous about something. "I suppose you know now how long I've known Max and Lizzie?"

JJ nodded. "I know the whole story there, and also that you're Emily's godmother."

Strauss was relieved; explaining that herself would have been awkward. "I'm glad you've got it all down, then. Have you been having fun here?"

"I've been having the best _time_ and best _birthday_ ever." JJ said honestly. "I even have a new family."

The British woman grinned, her heart suddenly overflowing with parental affection towards one of her favorite agents. "Now that Max and Lizzie have adopted you—for lack of a better word—you're part of my family, too. Would you like to be friends?"

JJ beamed; she'd always both respected and liked Erin Strauss, but she never would have expected an invitation from her to actually be friends. It meant that Strauss was fond of her, too.

"Yes." JJ said immediately. "Yes, I would."

"Wonderful."

Strauss looked around and realized that she and JJ were the only ones left in the living room.

"Lizzie and Emily are making gingerbread houses, but Max is going to be taking over the kitchen to bake because that's his forté. Do you want to see what he's up to?"

JJ set her new presents aside on the coffee table and wiggled the fingers on her impaired palm. "Yeah, but I'm down a hand."

"We can still find something for you to do," Strauss winked. "And if we hurry, I know that we can get Max to teach you how to make Turkish Delight."

Immediately remembering how Maximo had said that the dessert was Emily's Kryptonite, JJ abandoned what remained of her hesitation and followed her new friend to the kitchen.

* * *

Later on, when the baking was done, JJ and Emily snuck off to the study.

"Jayje, look at this."

Emily was over in a corner of the room that JJ hadn't explored yet. Joining her, she saw that she was indicating a record player on a stand and a bookshelf that was full of tons of music records, all organized by genre.

"Your parents really like music, huh?" JJ asked Emily.

"They really do," Emily confirmed as she selected a record from the shelf and set it up to play. "And amongst their many, dazzling talents are the fact that they're both classically trained pianists and mother's operatic singing ability. They both still play the piano and have a Classic Yamaha grand piano up in mother's office."

"My mom has a Steinway piano that she and my dad played on together." JJ mused. "She still plays it, actually."

"Do you know how to play?" Emily asked curiously.

JJ nodded. "I'm the only one of the Jareau children who ever showed interest in learning to play, so my mom taught me how, and it became one of our easiest forms of bonding when it was just her and I left in the house. If I wasn't handicapped at the moment, I'd so challenge you to a four-handed piece right now."

Emily laughed and shook her head. "You know, between the two of us, all of our kids will stand really great chances to be musical, and to even be really good with foreign languages."

"I like the sound of that," JJ replied. "But since none of them are big enough to kick us yet, let's not get ahead of ourselves, hm?"

"Quite right."

The record that Emily had put on the record player had a quick opening number, and they'd accidentally talked through it, but when the beginning notes of the second song began to play, Emily held her arms out to JJ.

"May I have this dance?"

Happy because she loved a good slow dance and because this was a great way to cap off her birthday, especially since she'd even gotten happy birthday calls from her mother and her brother earlier in the day, JJ accepted Emily's invitation and began to dance with her, putting a hand on her shoulder and letting her hold the casted hand.

As they pulled closer to each other, Emily held her hand on JJ's hip and almost turned to putty when JJ moved it to so that it was resting lower, more towards the base of her back. A move like that meant that JJ was becoming even more comfortable with being touched intimately again.

What a beautiful way to end the most perfect birthday, JJ thought to herself. There's nobody else I'd rather spend it or the rest of my life with other than Emily.

The woman herself broke through her thoughts. "Rest your head on my shoulder so I can sing to you. Please."

JJ did, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that Emily had an incredibly wonderful singing voice. That made the words even more special.

 _At last, my love has come along_

 _My lonely days are over, and life is like a song, oh yeah_

 _At last the skies above are blue_

 _My heart was wrapped up in clover the night I looked at you_

 _I found a dream that I can speak to_

 _A dream that I could call my own_

 _I found a thrill I've never known, oh yeah_

 _You smiled, you smiled, oh, and then the spell was cast_

 _And here we are in Heaven_

 _For you are mine at last!_


	19. Eighteen

Christmas vacation ended too soon, although before it was completely over, Emily invited JJ to move in with her in her townhouse. Of course JJ accepted, and once Emily's parents caught wind of what was happening, they pitched in by hiring professional movers to help them pack JJ's place up and make it presentable for the next tenant. In the end, JJ was moved in with Emily in less than a day.

* * *

The night before they were due back to work, though, JJ sat down with Emily on their bed for a chat she felt couldn't be avoided for too much longer.

* * *

"How much have I told you about where I grew up, and about where my parents were born?" she asked.

"Well," Emily stopped to think. "As far as _you're_ concerned, not much past a farm in East Allegheny, Pennsylvania, but all of the animals have been gone for years because your mom is the only one left and can manage fine without them. You also told me once about your dad being French-Russian, and that he was born and raised in Paris until he came stateside and met your mom. "

Emily wracked her brain; it had been awhile since either of them had spoken in detail about JJ's parents, and it took her a moment to remember what she'd been thinking of.

"Your mom is from Alabama, right?" Emily asked. "Is this about Sandy?"

"Uh-huh. Not only is she an Alabama native, but she and her brothers were born into one of the oldest and _wealthiest_ power families in Montgomery."

Emily raised an eyebrow in interest. "Really? What about your mom's parents? Pearl and Bertrand, right?"

"Nana Pearl is from a very wealthy family in Dallas, and Grandpa Bertrand is from one in Jackson, Mississippi."

"No wonder you like it when we go down south." Emily mused.

JJ laughed nervously. "Me saying 'very wealthy' is putting it without showing off."

 _"I'm_ a trustfund baby because both of my parents were born into extreme wealth, and they were trustfund babies, too, but the way _you're_ talking, it's like you're an heiress to a fortune, or something."

When JJ didn't answer straight away and just blushed spectacularly, Emily's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"You _are_ an heiress?"

"To the Foxworth and Rutherford fortunes, yes, and if we were in Montgomery, Dallas, or Jackson right now, you'd really understand what a big deal those last names are."

"These are your mom's parents? What is the source of their wealth?"

"Grandpa Bertrand started a very successful textile business after he moved to Alabama from Jackson, and it evolved into an empire that he and his brothers and his brothers' older sons all run today."

"That's one grandparent down. What about Nana Pearl?"

"Her money is from her parents, who profited vastly from the Texas Oil Boom, and also from a construction company that her father started, which today, is one of the biggest companies in all of Dallas. Nana Pearl has always been as sharp as a tack and used her entrepreneur skills to help Grandpa make the textile empire into what it is. Both of them are living comfortably in retirement at their mansion in Montgomery, and they oversee things from time to time."

"Even _saying_ that your family has money is actually an understatement."

Ears positively burning now, JJ bobbed her head in confirmation. "I inherited a trustfund when I was twenty-two and fresh out of college, which was a good thing because I was about to start at the FBI Academy and I needed to pay the tution. But as of my most recent birthday, I inherited an amount that was double of what I was meant to get in the first place."

It suddenly occurred to Emily that while they had just celebrated JJ's birthday, she'd never specified an exact number about her age, so she felt compelled to ask her about it.

"Jennifer, how old _are_ you?"

"Thirty. I, uh, just don't like to talk about it because I'm not a wunderkind like Spencer is, but I was always the top of my class, and even though I did as much work as everyone else did, there were a few people that felt I didn't deserve to be there because of the money, and because I'm a woman."

JJ laughed rather nervously, knowing that she still hadn't said the part of the story that was weighing on her mind the most.

"Archer has money from Nana Pearl and Grandpa Bertrand, too, but since Rosaline didn't make it past seventeen and because I'm the baby, there was a clause in the paperwork that allowed me to inherit her shares, too."

"Babe, how much money _are_ you sitting on?"

"Enough that we could move to New York City right now, buy a penthouse at The Plaza and live there, never having to work again. We could even send the babies to Yale, Harvard, or Oxford if that's what their hearts desired."

Emily didn't say anything, only because she was feeling so surprised, so JJ continued on.

"I literally have so much money, Emily, that I don't know what to do with it. My mom offered to pay up front for all four years of my college education, but I told her no because I rather would have earned it. It was just as well, though, because almost right after that day, she threw herself into her work to keep from thinking about Rosaline and my dad. I was basically on my own for the next few years."

"I'm with you so far," Emily replied. "But how did Sandy end up on a farm in _Pennsylvania,_ though? That's a _far_ cry from _Alabama."_

"She met my dad at Washington State University, of all places, and he came from a well-off background. It isn't like Nana and Grandpa didn't like my dad because they _really_ loved him, but my mom was determined to be different then her parents and her brothers because they all stayed in Montgomery. When she and my dad realized they were going to be parents, they chose to live in a quiet place because they wanted Archie, Rosie, and I to be… _normal_ and without the stresses that came with living upscale, southern lifestyles."

"That's actually not a bad way to look at things. How long before you found out that you stood to inherit all that money?"

"They told us all at the same time, and it was early elementary school years for me, so I don't remember for sure."

Again, Emily said nothing, but only because she was digesting it all.

"Are you mad because I've never said anything?" JJ asked. "I grew up well-off, but my mom and dad still kept us all down to earth because they didn't want us to have inflated egos like the Foxworths and the Rutherfords."

"I'm not angry at all." Emily reassured her. "I'm just surprised. Am I the only one on the team that knows this about you?"

"Uh-huh. Not even _Spencer_ knows because I'm so discreet. Does anybody know that _you_ have money?"

"Just Hotch, and that's only because he's known of my parents for years and years. I don't talk about it because I don't think about it, and I'm discreet like you are."

"I also don't like to talk about it because I don't like being the center of attention any more than I usually am."

To alleviate the tension JJ was clearly feeling, Emily planted a smoldering kiss on JJ's lips before looking back at her with nothing but love.

"I won't say anything about this to our friends, but you can relax, Jayje." Emily kissed her a few more times on the lips, before placing a few gentler ones on her throat that made the blond sigh blissfully. "You were waiting for the right time to share this with me, and considering all that you learned about me and where I came from, that's perfectly alright. It doesn't make me love you any less."

Dizzy from the passion of Emily's kisses and realizing what she was attempting to initiate, JJ struggled to stay in the conversation.

"Do you really mean that, Emily?"

"I really do."

JJ let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding and straddled Emily, returning the kisses that she'd just delivered to her.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked, catching her breath when JJ paused for a moment.

"Thanking you."

JJ tugged at Emily's big sleeping shirt gently.

"May I?"

JJ had never seen Emily completely naked before, and right now, this felt like the perfect occasion. Emily seemed to be on the same page because she said softly, "Allow me," before taking it off and even shimmying out of her underpants.

"You are so beautiful." JJ sighed, taking in the sight of her girlfriend in not a stitch as she treated her to a few more kisses in some of her more delicate areas. "Very beautiful."

She moved her way down Emily's body and plastered her distended middle with enough kisses that had her sighing in pleasure this time around.

"I promise that next time," JJ said, sitting up. "You can do this and _more_ to me."

Emily's heart skipped a beat and she propped herself up on her elbows to get a better look at the younger woman. True, she had realized awhile ago that it was going to take awhile for JJ to get back to her normal self, but Emily hadn't expected her to be _this_ receptive to being pleasured already, even in a small way.

In this particular instance, Emily suddenly felt very proud of her.

"That makes me so happy, JJ."

The petite woman smiled, although it was her minxish smile. "May I please finish now?"

Emily's body was completely on fire for JJ, already missing her touches in the short time they'd been apart.

"Yes." she laid back down and arched her back slightly. "Please do."

By the time JJ finished, Emily had been very vocal about enjoying herself (music to JJ's ears) and once she came down from her orgasm, the two of them fell asleep together.

* * *

"Everyone," JJ said as she, Emily, and the rest of the team disembarked from FBI building elevator the next morning and stood in the lobby by the BAU doors. "We have some news to share."

As it wasn't even eight in the morning yet, the lobby was empty, but nevertheless, their friends powwowed around them.

"What's up, Miss Pennsylvania Petite?" Derek asked her.

JJ took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Penelope and Hotch already know, but Emily and I are officially a couple now!"

Penelope and Hotch congratulated their friends again and then stood back as Derek, Spencer, and Rossi got in their own congratulations.

"That isn't _all_ we have to share." Emily added excitedly.

Rossi raised an eyebrow. "No? We all know that both of you are pregnant, so what's left? Was there a proposal?"

"I really hope we aren't _that_ transparent," Emily said as JJ snickered. "But no, that isn't it. JJ has completely moved in with me, and we're going to start looking at real estate listings in Capitol Hill so we can plant some real roots and raise the babies in a family neighborhood."

 _"We_ live in Capitol Hill," Hotch remarked in amusement. "And if it really comes down to it, there _are_ houses for sale on our street."

"We'll keep that in mind." JJ winked.

Next to her, Penelope shifted her weight from one foot to the other, obviously excited about something. Knowing what Penelope was going to say, JJ and Emily kept quiet, not wanting to ruin the surprise for her or Derek.

"Okay, Garcia." laughed Rossi. "Go ahead and cough it up, but don't forget to breathe!"

Using both hands, the technical analyst smoothed out the fabric of her dress around her middle, which now held a very distinctive curve to it. She hadn't looked like that before Christmas, and now she was positively glowing.

"We're going to be parents!"

A lot more celebrating was had after that, but when Derek but a hand in the small of Penelope's back and whispered something in her ear, a delighted expression popped up on her face and she held out her left hand, blushing.

"Look what happened on Christmas Eve!"

A sparkling diamond ring was nestled on her finger, glinting spectacularly in the overhead light.

Penelope and Derek were engaged!

Even more celebrating was had after that.

* * *

A few minutes later, JJ was in her office, getting ready for the day. After she hung up her coat and put her bag away, she set up the calendars she'd gotten from Emily's parents, as well as the pictures of Zooey, Hope, and Vivian, she felt a stirring in her womb.

"Hello, in there." JJ cooed to the swell in her middle, raking the nails on her uncompromised hand over it. "Please be good for mommy, okay? This morning was dramatic enough, don't you think? It's a good thing we had mama to help."

JJ had been up since almost five forty-five that morning because the babies had woken her abruptly with a very nasty bout of morning sickness. Emily, who had so far been blessed in her own pregnancy with hardly any nausea at all, was right beside her, holding her hair back for her as she vomited into the toilet. When the initial illness passed and JJ cleaned herself up and brushed her teeth, Emily waited on her, hand and foot, until she was better again.

Almost as if they could understand their mother, the twins actually settled and fell asleep.

"Thank you." JJ sighed in relief.

Passing by her desk again, she saw her phone lying next to her desk phone. She noticed it because it lit up, showing that she had a missed call and a missed text, both from her mother—which was odd, because last she knew, she down was in Alabama, visiting her brothers and her parents while she went to a class reunion.

The text was a bit ominous.

 _Call me ASAP, Jenny. I mean it._

Not wanting to incur her mother's wrath, especially since she didn't about the twins or even Emily's baby yet, JJ was just about to call her when she saw Hotch standing in the doorway, his hand poised over the door about to knock on it. JJ locked her phone and set it aside.

"Is there something I can do for you this morning?" she asked, sitting on her couch and beckoning for him to come join her.

"Are you busy?" he asked as he sat with her.

"No. What's up?"

"Does the name Sergeant Tinsley Foxworth mean anything to you?"

JJ blinked in surprise. "He's one of my Alabama cousins, actually; son of my uncle, Balfour-Lee, and he's eight years my senior."

"Then I'm really sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but we have to go down to Alabama today because we are investigating his death."

JJ's heart skipped a beat, although not in a good way, and she suddenly realized what her mother's text had been about.

"Tinsley's gone?" she asked in a voice of disbelief. "Someone's _killed_ him?"

"I'm afraid so." Hotch said sympathetically. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." she said softly, dabbing at her watery eyes.

"The case came straight to me because his is the third suspicious death in the community in the last three-and-a-half weeks. This is going to be an all hands on deck affair because even Garcia is coming, but I need to know that you will remain objective, seeing as this concerns your family."

"Of course. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine." JJ wiped at her tears a little more and then furrowed her eyebrow in thought as she looked at her partner. "Hotch, how did you figure out that Tinsley was related to me? His parents are from the non-Jareau side of the clan."

"It was Captain Hanna Ryder, the head of the homicide division at the Montgomery County Police Department. When she called, she mentioned that she's known you for your entire life. Does that sound right?"

"I grew up calling her Miss Hanna, but yes—she and my mom have been best friends for almost their entire lives."

Hotch stood. "Garcia is in the conference room, getting the presentation set up. Do you need a moment to collect yourself?"

"No, I'm good." JJ held out her good hand to Hotch. "Help me up?"

He did as asked and then caught and steadied her when she teetered slightly.

Hotch held open the office door a little wider for her when they reached it. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." she sighed as she walked past him. "You go get the others and I'll talk to Penelope."

Hotch agreed that that was a good idea and left the office with her.

Awesome, JJ thought as she entered the conference room a few minutes later. By the time this is over, everyone will know what I told Emily about my family last night. What a crazy job I have.


	20. Nineteen

"JJ, are you alright?"

That was from Derek when they were all gathered in the conference room a few minutes later.

Wishing that they could just be in the jet already so she could call her mom, JJ said a 'don't push me' tone, "I would rather not talk about it, Derek."

Heeding his friend's warning, Derek looked over at Penelope, standing at the head of the table and ready to begin the presentation.

"Okay, Baby Girl, what you got?"

 _"All_ of us are going down south, to The Heart of Dixie, a.k.a. Montgomery, Alabama because in the past three-and-a-half weeks, three men have kidnapped and then turned up dead in Montgomery County."

She pressed a button on the remote in her hand, and three pictures of different men appeared on the big display screen. All of them were alive and smiling in the pictures, which JJ was glad for because it was one less moment that she had to avert her eyes.

"From left to right, we have Arthur Bradshaw, Nathaniel Xavier, and Sergeant Tinsley Foxworth."

Of course, Rossi was the first one to say something about Tinsley's title. "Foxworth was a sergeant?"

"And JJ's cousin, too."

Penelope, Emily, and Hotch already knew by now who Tinsley had been to JJ, but Rossi, Derek, and Spencer all quickly offered the communications liaison their sympathy, sad for her. JJ thanked them, although Penelope redirected everyone's attention back to her by clearing her throat.

"Bradshaw, Xavier, and Tinsley were all in their mid to late thirties, and married with kids. There are no apparent connections at the moment, and also nothing out of the ordinary with how they lived."

Spencer spoke up, having hit a stumbling block in the folder of notes he was holding. "It says all three of them were strangled?"

"Uh-huh." Quickly warning JJ to look away, Penelope pressed another button, and all of the victims' pictures were replaced with pictures of them as they'd been discovered. "They were all strangled and left in public places."

Hotch looked over at Spencer. "What made you sound skeptical about the strangulation standpoint?"

Spencer looked back at him. "It's just that according to the reports here, all three of the victims were strangled, although it looks like with a different tool each time, and with a different amount of pressure and force; the unsub looks like he can't make up his mind, and while it's unusual for a strangler to deviate during escalation, _this_ much deviation already is unsettling."

"Why's that?"

"Because it points to a disorganized and possibly chaotic mind, or… a _partner._ It's too early too early to tell which it is right now."

Across the table, Derek arched an eyebrow at his best friend. "Three is a pattern, but you can't get into the unsub's frame of mind yet?"

"No." Spencer said sheepishly.

"Excuse me."

That was all JJ could manage before getting up and taking the back steps to get out of the room, heading for the restroom as quickly as she could; hearing the details of how Tinsley had died proved to be too much, and, feeding off her anxiousness, the babies decided that that was a perfectly good time to make JJ nauseas and send her dashing for the lavatory as quickly as possible.

When JJ entered the restroom, she vomited into the first empty toilet she found.

Emily came to check on her, although she wasn't empty-handed.

"Okay, Jayje." the brunette said when her girlfriend was finally done and all of the sick had been flushed away. "I'm going to bring you over to the sink because I brought your toiletry kit from your go bag and set up your toothbrush and toothpaste; you're not seeing spots, or anything like that, are you?"

"No, thank goodness," JJ mumbled as Emily helped her navigate her way over to the aforementioned sink. "And thank you for coming to check on me."

"Always."

* * *

Once JJ was decent and had even washed her face, she was feeling better, so Emily caught her up on what she'd missed during the rest of the gathering. By the time they headed out to the jet hangar with all that they were bringing to Alabama, JJ was all the way up to speed.

"So Spencer is going to the morgue, and Rossi is going to talk to the families of Arthur Bradshaw and Nathaniel Xavier while Hotch goes to the station to establish contact with Captain Ryder before going to the latest crime scene, and Penelope is coming with us to work her magic on the computer system because it's not the best and the footage that was found of Tinsley's abduction is a bit degraded?"

"Gold star for JJ." Emily praised as they climbed the stairs to the let and boarded it.

"Hey," JJ said suddenly, furrowing her eyebrows as a thought occurred to her. "If those are everyone else's assignments, where does that leave you and me? Talking to my family?"

"And that's another gold star to you."

"It's not like the Foxworths are of the southern bigot variety, but this is _not_ the way I envisioned you meeting my family."

"Of course not," Emily sympathized. "But here we are."

JJ just sighed and nodded before turning to Spencer, who was in the seat next to where they were standing, and asked him for help to put their go bags away in the overhead storage bin. He happily obliged his pregnant friends, and a few moments later, JJ and Emily were making their way over to their favorite seats near the galley and settling down in them.

"My mom is already in Alabama to begin with." JJ told Emily.

"Oh? For what?"

"A high school reunion, but it's in Butler County, two counties over from where we're headed. It's a good thing Archer is in Missouri, though."

"And why's that? Too many Foxworths and Jareaus in one room, otherwise?"

"That, and he'd get tunnel vision if he saw my cast; we've never been super close, but if he gets wind of me being in any kind of danger, he does whatever he can to rectify the problem for me."

"Is Archer strong?"

JJ nodded. _"Extremely_ , and that being said, there's one person on this team who can take him on and win."

"Derek?"

"Derek."

 _"What_ about me?"

JJ and Emily looked up to that the man in question, as well as his fiancée had joined them and were claiming the empty chairs in their immediate area. Derek sat across from JJ, while Penelope sat up shop beside her, laying out a few anti-sickness treats on the little table before she took her yarn and knitting needles from her favorite tote bag and began working on the baby blanket she'd been making for awhile. They were still waiting on a few more people, so they had a few minutes to kill.

"I was just explaining to Emily that my big, musclebound older brother, Archer, is as protective of me as you are," JJ said to Derek. "And that you're the only guy on the team who could take him on in a fight and win."

Derek loved JJ like a sister and would do anything for her, or even fight anyone for her, but the thought of taking on her brother in a fight at all made him shudder.

Penelope chuckled at her lover's expense and asked JJ, "Is there any chance of seeing Archer, or is he back in Drexel with Cho and Kaida?"

"He's in Drexel."

Penelope pretended to pout. "Darn. I've never met anyone with a name like Archer before."

"This from the chick whose parents were honest-to-goodness hippies and whose brothers have hippy names?"

That question threw Emily for a loop and she looked at Penelope with great interest. "You're not an only child?"

"If you can believe it, I'm at the bottom of the heap: I was my parents' 'we seriously thought we were done' baby because all four of my brothers were in college or high school when I was born."

"What are their names?"

"Django, Scout, Chase, and Rainer."

"Wow." Emily said in fascination. "How did you get _your_ name?"

"Something like my parents lost a bet with Rainer, and he got to decide what I was called because apparently, he wanted his baby sister to have a 'normal' name."

"What is it?"

"Penelope Sara Joy, and before my mom got remarried when I was eight, my last name was Clarkson. My brothers all still use that surname."

"So your birth name is Penelope Sara Joy Clarkson. That's actually cute." Emily smiled. "What were your parents' names?"

"I'm not even kidding, but my dad's name was Justice, and my mom's name was Honor."

"Justice and Honor? Those are the best hippy names _ever."_ JJ laughed. "And you've got step-siblings that were all born in Mexico, right?"

Penelope nodded. "Four sisters and a brother."

"Quick, tell us their names!" JJ urged. "Before the jet takes off and our ears begin popping!"

"My stepbrother's name is Juan Carlos, after my stepdad, and my stepsisters are called Aracely, Rosario, Maribel, and Estefani. _She_ lives with JC and his family in New York, and she's twenty-five now."

Emily let out a long, single-noted whistle. "Including you, that's _ten!_ Have you all ever been under the same roof together?"

"Many times, for different holidays. It's always worth it."

Emily wanted to ask about what holidays were like with Penelope's family, but she couldn't because everyone was in the jet now, and the jet was taxiing down the the runway for takeoff.

It wasn't until they were forty-five minutes into their six-and-a-half hour flight that JJ remembered the text from her mother and called her back. Sandy didn't answer, so JJ left a message for her, although when she hung up, she saw that Penelope, Derek, Hotch, and Rossi were looking at her in surprise. Emily was looking, too, although she was quite amused.

"What?" JJ asked.

"You just left a message to your mother in _French."_ Emily said gleefully.

"I did?"

Penelope contributed an answer as she grew amused. "You sure did, Tinker Bell! You speak French?"

"And Russian." JJ admitted. "Fluently."

"Wow." marveled Rossi. "How did you come to learn _those_ languages? They're complex, _especially_ Russian."

"My dad. His parents were French and Russian; they passed the languages down to him and my mom learned them when they began seriously dating. That's what my mom told me."

Hotch raised his eyebrows. "Haley and I have been fluent in French since high school—in fact, we still speak it—and Jack is currently stumbling through it; did your parents teach you?"

"Uh-huh, and they taught my bother and sister, too. My mom and I have been speaking French and Russian even more with each other since my dad died; it's kind of a way to keep his memory alive."

"And you used French without realizing it because its one of your first languages." mused Spencer. "We know that you've got family down south—"

"Now _there's_ an understatement." Emily smirked.

"You watch yourself," JJ warned her playfully. "Lest I tell them your _actual_ name, or your first language!"

Emily gasped, affronted. "You wouldn't _dare!"_

"Just like I wouldn't dare tell the family your _confirmation_ name?"

"Why, I—"

 _"Or_ about your childhood hobby in Saudi Arabia?"

Emily was even more affronted. "You know about that? How much did my parents _tell_ you?"

Extremely pleased with herself because their friends were watching them, hanging on to every word, JJ said smoothly, "Enough to give me _eons_ of blackmail material."

Emily fell silent immediately.

"Are you done?" JJ asked.

"Uh-huh." she responded before helping herself to some of the saltine crackers on the table. "Totally done."

JJ turned back to Spencer, who was watching yet from across the aisle. "My mom is from Alabama, but _her_ parents are from Texas and Mississippi. _I_ grew up in Pennsylvania."

"Did you grow up speaking in a southern twang?"

"One hundred percent. I didn't lose it until I went to college and spent two semesters in California."

"Anything else we should know about you? Did you do sports?"

"I was a cheerleader from ages four to fourteen."

Even Emily hadn't known that, and she paused in her saltine cracker binging while Penelope dropped her knitting needles as she gaped at JJ while Hotch, Derek, Rossi, and Spencer all sated at her in great surprise.

 _"What?"_ JJ questioned. "Is it _really_ so hard to believe that I was a cheerleader?"

 _"Yes!"_ they all said in unison.

JJ leaned back in her seat and groaned. "This is going to be a _long_ flight."

* * *

When the team finally arrived in Montgomery, they split up to do their assignments, and after checking in at the hotel to claim their suites, JJ and Emily began the drive out to the Foxworth family property. JJ would have driven, but couldn't because of her arm, so she gave Emily directions until they were in the driveway of their destination.

"Oh, my God." Emily said as they exited the car and began walking up the front steps. "This is a—"

"Mansion, yep."

It was true: JJ's grandparents lived in a grand old mansion that housed all sorts of wonderful things, and all of the locals knew it as Foxworth Hall.

"I spent every summer of my life here, all the way up until I left for college."

Emily was dying to know more, but by this time, they were at the front door and JJ was ringing the doorbell, so she refrained.

Because the Foxworths could afford it, they had quite a staff that worked for them at all times, including a number of maids.

JJ had fully been expecting one of them to answer the door, but that didn't happen because her heart jumped in surprise when she recognized who was on the other side.

 _"Mom?"_


	21. Twenty

Though Sandy Jareau was quite surprised to see JJ and Emily, she stepped aside to let them in to the front foyer so they could get out of the cold January air, but she had to be careful when she shut the door behind them because she had an eight-month-old baby on her hip, who just so happened to be the youngest child of her late nephew. The baby's name was Annalyn, and JJ had only ever seen pictures of her.

"Mom, is that Annalynn?" JJ asked. "She's beautiful!"

Sandy pressed a kiss to Annalynn's cheek, prompting the baby to giggle and cuddle up to her.

"Yep. This is Annalynn Ruby Foxworth." she confirmed, adjusting Annalynn on her hip. "Jenny, are you and Emily in town about Tinsley?"

JJ nodded. "I'm afraid so. We all just flew in less than an hour ago."

Sandy turned to Emily. "But if you're _here,_ at Foxworth Hall, that means that Tinsley's death is connected to those other poor souls who turned up dead this month, huh? I found newspaper articles about them."

"Yes." Emily said. "Is Tinsley's wife around? JJ said she probably would be, and we need to talk to her."

"All I can say to that is to suit yourself."

JJ winced. "How bad is it?"

"DeLilah _is_ here, but she's a mess, Jenny. Grandpa and nana have been taking care of her, and they're all upstairs."

JJ looked around. "You've got Annalyn, but where are Hattie Bell and Talley Kay at?"

Hattie Bell and Talley Kay were Annalyn's big sisters, and they were three and two.

"The maids are looking after Hattie and Talley, but your brother should be around here somewhere…"

JJ felt like her brain was melting. "What the hell?"

"Language, Jennifer!" Sandy hissed, briefly blocking Annalynn's ears. "The baby is unbelievably smart and according to DeLilah, she's already absorbing things faster than her sisters did at this age!"

"Sorry, mom." JJ apologized before quickly moving to the next part of her list of questions. _"What_ is _Archer_ doing here? He lives way up in the _north!"_

An unfamiliar, masculine voice answered from the stairs behind them. "I was nearby for a business trip."

Emily, who had already been observing the current part of the conversation with a shade of amusement, was the first one to spot who the voice belonged to: JJ's brother. Archer certainly looked the part.

Emily's thoughts were confirmed when Archer hit the bottom stair and JJ rushed forward to hug him; she knew for a fact that even though the two had never been exceedingly close like JJ had been with Rosaline, they were still buddies, and hadn't seen each other since before JJ had gotten mixed up with Baylor.

"Jenny," Archer said to his little sister. "Something looks different about you. What is it?"

JJ blushed spectacularly because she knew that Emily was watching, and that she also had to keep her cool, somewhat. "I promise I will tell you, Archie, but we need to go talk to DeLilah."

"And by 'we,' you mean you and Emily, over there?"

"How did you know…?"

JJ started to ask her brother how he knew who Emily was, but then let out a dejected sigh when she connected the dots.

"Mom?"

"Yep."

The Jareau children glanced over at their mother, who was looking anywhere but at her offspring.

Laughing and shaking her head, JJ beckoned to Emily, and she approached, she made quick introductions.

"Emily, Archer; Archer, Emily."

Archer Jareau spoke with a southern accent, the same one that JJ had spoken with when she was younger, and he was very charming.

"I'm very pleased to meet you." he told Emily as they shook hands. "I just wish it could be under better circumstances."

"As do I." Emily replied.

Gentleman that he was, Archer said to her, "I'm sure you and Jenny won't be setting up camp, but it's quite cold outside and the weather forecast is calling for snow by the end of the week, and this mansion is very warm because my grandparents hate being cold. May I take your coat?"

"Okay, sure." Emily told him. "Thank you."

Archer helped Emily out of her jacket, and her baby bump was visible immediately. When Sandy saw Emily's middle, she was very surprised.

"You're _pregnant,_ Emily?"

"Uh-huh, and it's complicated. We just didn't have a chance to tell you during the Skype chat before Christmas."

The older woman raised an eyebrow, having no trouble talking to Emily like she was one of her children. "Yet, you and Jenny found time to tell me that you're a couple? Anything _else_ I should know about? Did you two go off to Vegas and get married?"

This prompted an, "Oh, my God, _mom!"_ comment from JJ, although Sandy ignored her. Emily, on the other hand, was feeling like she was eighteen again and had been caught coming in after curfew. Nevertheless, she turned to JJ and raised her eyebrows at her, imploringly.

Sighing, JJ took also took off her jacket and handed it to her brother, instantly making visible her plaster cast and the swell in her middle that told the world of her expectant condition. Archer opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him because his baby sister's girlfriend being pregnant was one thing, but _JJ_ being pregnant, having a _broken arm,_ and not telling them was _quite_ another.

In the end, Archer just looked over at his mother to see what she was going to say.

If anything, Sandy was feeling overwhelmed. "You, too? And what happened to your arm?"

JJ wiggled the fingers on her damaged hand, feeling nervous. "I promise I'll tell you when we've got the time. We really _do_ need to talk to DeLilah, though. Where is she?"

"Up in the blue room, but a word of warning: DeLilah is almost six months pregnant."

JJ almost tripped over air. "You're _kidding._ Annalynn isn't even _one_ yet."

Sandy shrugged, giving little Annalynn's back a rub when she let out a sleepy sigh. "DeLilah and Tinsley wanted a lot of kids, and they were practical about it. Just be good to her, okay? She's already been in the hospital this morning because she fainted after finding out about Tinsley, and she found out there that the baby is a boy."

Still hung up on DeLilah being pregnant when she already had a small baby, JJ didn't say anything to her mother, so Emily spoke up to the woman who would one day be her mother-in-law.

"We will remember. Where is the blue room?"

"Jenny will show you; I have to give Annalynn her bottle and plan a funeral for my nephew."

Emily nodded understandingly and she and JJ watched Sandy as she left with Annalynn in the direction of what she supposed was the kitchen. Archer followed his mother.

JJ started up the long marble staircase that Archer had come down, and Emily accompanied her.

"Is she always like a whirlwind?" Emily asked.

"Yeah." JJ laughed softly. "I promise that my mom is a nice person, but we caught her by surprise in a variety of ways just now."

"Then I can't say I blame her for being all over the place."

"She became a single mom after my dad died, and since it was just the two of us left in the house, we became very close. She also chose to just be herself, and it turns out that my mom in her truest form, loves as deeply as yours does, but is also organized chaos and goes at things like a freight train."

"Good thing I can adapt." Emily winked. "And it's going to be fun, sitting down with her to properly explain what's happening."

JJ shuddered. "Let's just think about DeLilah, okay? The room she's in is down the hall a bit."

* * *

The blue room got its name because while all the furniture and even the closet door was made of black cherry wood, everything else was different shades of blue. It was very calming, so it made perfect sense that DeLilah would be found in this room.

JJ and Emily stood in the doorway of DeLilah's room, and they saw she was on the bed, laying on top of the covers and leaning against an abundance of pillows that were propping her up. JJ's grandparents, Bertrand and Pearl, were sitting in a pair of chairs beside her bed, keeping her company and tending to her.

When Bertrand and Pearl saw JJ and Emily, they hurried over and said hello, although they were puzzled.

"Jenny," Pearl said to her her granddaughter. "What in the world are you doing in _Alabama,_ and who is your friend?"

"We're here for work, and it concerns Tinsley. We need to talk to DeLilah, nana." JJ said by way of explanation before putting a hand in this small of Emily's back. "This is Emily, and we work together. She's my best friend, and my partner."

"How sweet."

The couple smiled bashfully, but JJ still maintained control of the conversation. "We're going to be in town for awhile, working on things, but we'll make sure the family knows all what's going on before we go."

Accepting that and catching her drift, Pearl and Bertrand nodded in acknowledgement to Emily before leaving the room deciding to go check on the rest of their house guests. That meant JJ and Emily were finally alone with the person who they'd come to see.

DeLilah Quinlan Foxworth was a good woman who had been through a lot in her life, but was kind and known for her unwavering strength. She was fair-skinned and had bright blue eyes, the very trademarks of the family she had married into. DeLilah even had a kind face, although at the moment, it was tear-stained and her eyes were bright red from crying. By this point, she was all cried out.

Her hands were also plastered on her big, burgeoning baby bump, and Emily's heart went out to her for it because it made her seem sadder and more vulnerable than she already was.

One thing, Emily noticed as they sat in in the chairs bed, was that DeLilah was noticeably younger than even JJ. For a minute, it made her think of how there were almost ten years between JJ and herself. But age was just a number.

"How are you doing, DeLilah?" JJ asked the young woman.

"I don't know, Jenny. I really don't." she responded in a soft tone, although her own southern accent was not to be missed. "If you and Emily are down here with your team, then does that mean that Tinsley got in trouble? He was the best man I've ever known, and a great soldier; I want him to be buried at the National Cemetery in Birmingham."

"We are hoping that he wasn't in trouble," Emily said. "But we are going to do everything we can to get to the bottom of things."

"Thank you. What is that you and Jenny want to know?"

"Anything you can tell us about Tinsley, especially the last time you saw him."

"Okay." DeLilah let out a shaky breath and moved her hands over her baby bump as she felt her son move around inside her. "I can do that."

Tinsley had been missing for thirty-six hours before being discovered in an alleyway, but even still, the last time DeLilah had seen her husband and the morning he went missing during his morning jog, everything had been perfectly ordinary.

During the interview, Emily took notes while JJ did most of the question-asking.

"One last thing." JJ said to DeLilah as they wrapped things up. "We know that you were in the hospital this morning, but how did you get _here,_ and where are my Uncle Balfour and Aunt Sarahjane?"

Balfour-Lee Foxworth and his wife, Sarahjane, were DeLilah's in-laws… and Tinsley's parents.

"They brought the kids and I here so that we'd be looked after because I can barely stand without help… Balfour and Sarahjane have been either at the morgue or the police station claiming Tinsley's body and taking care of the paperwork. They almost didn't go, though."

"What changed their minds?"

"More like _whom."_ Even in her sorrow, DeLilah allowed herself a small smile. "Your mama was over in Butler County for her high school reunion, but she dropped everything to come over here and help out; she's even going to help me plan the funeral."

"Okay, then how in the world did _Archer_ get here? How long has he _been_ here?"

DeLilah furrowed her eyebrow in thought. "Archer was just over the border in Georgia for a conference, but he left it to come here and help out. He got here just a little before you because he got on a train that was a straight shot into the station downtown."

"He's always been a good guy that way, DeLilah, taking care of his family." JJ said as she and Emily stood, getting ready to go. "Is there anything you need right now? Do you want me to send for my mom or the kids?"

"No."

DeLilah looked her visitors up and down, curious.

"What's the age difference between you two?"

"Nine years." Emily answered promptly.

DeLilah nodded in the direction of the couple's rounded middles. "And you're partners in more than one way, huh?"

"We are."

"You married?"

"Not yet, but we will be, one day. Why?"

"People still judge me for marrying a man more than ten years my senior when I'm not even thirty yet, and they judge me even more for having four children almost consecutively, even though that was the plan… Every minute with Tinsley was worth it, even if we only had five years together." DeLilah sighed sadly. "I wouldn't change a day for anything."

"You wouldn't?"

"Yeah. Tinsley was the love of my life, and I knew from the second we first met that we were it for each other." DeLilah paused a second, thinking. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that when you know you've got The One in your life, cherish every moment you've got together because you never know."

"Thank you, DeLilah." Emily said honestly. "I'll remember that."

DeLilah just nodded absently and turned over, facing away from her visitors, too emotionally drained to keep talking.

JJ and Emily left quietly, shutting the door behind them.


	22. Twenty One

When JJ and Emily went back to the police station, they were intercepted by JJ's old friend, Captain Ryder, who invited them into her office for a quick chat. She was happy to see JJ, and quite thrilled to see that she was expecting. She was also happy to meet Emily, having heard about her from Sandy.

"Before you two go over to the conference room, though," she said as she crossed the small room to a smaller table, near the window. "Take these with you."

'These' turned out to be a sandwich platter, a drink carrying case full of seven bottles of water, and a small box of cookies; it was all catering from a local sandwich restaurant.

While Emily took the sandwiches and the cookies, JJ took the drinks and turned to Ryder, smiling.

"Thank you."

Ryder returned the smile. "I figured you and your team would be hungry, right about now, what with coming all the way down from D.C. on the spur of the moment, so I decided to order lunch for all of you when you were all finally back here."

Emily echoed her girlfriend's earlier sentiment. "Thank you. That is very kind."

JJ tacked on, "I usually take care of that kind of thing, but it must have slipped my mind—pregnancy brain and all."

"I'm a mama, too, as you well know," Ryder winked. "But I won't tell anyone."

Thanking her and then following her directions about navigating through the station, JJ and Emily soon found themselves entering the conference room where the others were indeed all regathering, ready to start the update-sharing part of the case.

"We're back," JJ chirped. "And courtesy of Captain Ryder, we come bearing lunch!"

Everybody was very happy about that because they were all quite hungry.

"Okay, Tinker Bell." Penelope said to JJ, a few minutes into lunch. "Only because I _had_ to, I did some research on Foxworth Hall. How come you've never told us that you come from prestigious family money?"

JJ rolled her eyes. "To avoid having _this_ conversation, but you all might as well know that I'm an heiress to two different family fortunes."

"What about your brother? Is he an heir?"

"Uh-huh, and my sister was an heiress, too, but since she's dead, I inherited her shares. What?"

JJ had suddenly become aware of Penelope, Derek, Rossi, Spencer, Hotch, Rossi, and even Emily looking at her in surprise.

Amused, Rossi broke the silence. "How many language quirks are you packing away, kiddo? First your surprise us on the jet by speaking French without realizing it, and now you've gone and tapped into your southern drawl."

The tips of JJ's ears turned red. "I did?"

Rossi nodded. "Yep, about halfway through the explanation about the money. You're still doing it."

"Sorry." JJ consciously made the switch back to her normal pattern of speech. "This always happens when I see my mom… or come back down here; I spent every summer of my childhood here, and I _do_ mean _every_ summer."

To save JJ from turning any redder, Derek turned to Emily. "What did you two find out at Foxworth Hall?"

"You mean besides the fact that JJ's mother _and_ super protective big brother are there to look after the family?"

"Oh, boy." Derek sighed. "How did _that_ go?"

Emily laughed nervously. _"Eventful_ is putting it mildly, especially because they didn't know about our pregnancies or JJ's arm, but I made it through the visit without Archer pulling me aside to give me a speech about dating his baby sister."

"Then all things considered, it all went pretty okay, huh?"

Emily nodded. "It really did."

Feeling like a kindergarten teacher, Hotch cleared his throat to remind them of his prescence. "Let's get off the rabbit trail and talk about what you and JJ learned while talking to DeLilah Foxworth, please."

Emily and JJ promptly gave the rest of the team a rundown about what had happened out at Foxworth Hall.

When they were done, Spencer said, "I was reading earlier in the files that Tinsley was a dad; how are his kids?"

JJ sighed sadly. "Too little to really understand what's going on, or that their daddy is gone. Hattie Bell is three, Talley Kay is two, and Annalynn is just eight months old."

"DeLilah is also six months pregnant with a baby boy, and she's young, too." Emily looked at JJ. "Do you know how old she is?"

"DeLilah is twenty-five. She and Tinsley eloped when she was twenty."

Taking that in stride, Emily turned her attention back to the others again. "So DeLilah is young, looks like she's closer to the seven-month mark of her pregnancy, is a newly-made widow, and not even _thirty_ yet."

"She was even resting in bed because she literally can't stand up without help right now." JJ added. "I highly recommend not going to talk to her unless it's imperative."

"Understood." Hotch said before looking to Rossi. "What did you find out about Arthur Bradshaw and Nathaniel Xavier?"

"Two extremely normal guys, all around. Their paths never had a reason to cross while they were alive. I want to work with Reid to set up a timeline so that we can have an idea of what we're looking at."

JJ sat back in her seat. "I can make some calls and get Tinsley's parents and the widows of Nathaniel Xavier and Arthur Bradshaw in here after this."

"Excellent." Hotch praised. "I would like you, Prentiss, and Morgan to conduct those interviews."

"We can do that." JJ told him as the other two nodded in agreement. "Did you learn anything from Tinsley's crime scene?"

Hotch made a dejected sound. "No. It's blocked off, but even still, there wasn't anything useful to be learned from it."

Spencer spoke up, deciding to contribute to the conversation. "I may have had something like a breakthrough. At the morgue, I learned that the strangulation tools were chain, barbed wire and rope."

JJ shuddered. "All items that can be found at hardware stores, although if the unsub is using things like _barbed wire,_ they'll had to have also purchased some heavy-duty work gloves, too. And something barbaric like barbed wire shows anger."

"Those items could also be used at a place like a construction sight, or even an abandoned building, so as to keep trespassers out." Spencer mused before he addressed female counterpart. "Penelope?"

She responded with one of her feather-topped pens poised just above the notepad in her purple binder. "Yes, wunderkind?"

"Perhaps you can look for all of those kinds of places, as well as anyone who recently purchased work gloves, chains, rope, and barbed wire in one go." he suggested to her. "Start with a local radius."

Penelope nodded, repeating the keywords of Spencer's instructions to herself as she made a bullet point list on her notepad.

 _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Everyone who wasn't Penelope instinctively checked their phones and tablets to see if one of their devices had a new text.

"What was that?" Derek asked.

"It's my computer making noise to let me know that the rendering software is done cleaning up the software footage." Penelope explained. "Will you unplug it and bring it here so I can hook it up to the projector?"

While Derek obliged his fiancée's wishes, Hotch went and found Captain Ryder so she could watch the footage, too.

"Everybody ready?" Penelope asked when everybody needed was finally accounted for. "Here we go."

She pressed play on her laptop, and on the wall ahead of them, the projector showed them an image of Tinsley Foxworth, on his morning jog. According to the timestamp, it was fifteen minutes past five in the morning, which was what accounted for nobody passing by him as made his way down a sidewalk of what looked like a business district.

And then it happened: as Tinsley stopped at the mouth of an alleyway to take a breather, he didn't see the unsub sneak up behind him, but he definitely noticed the unsub sticking something weapon-like in his back.

Now, Tinsley Foxworth had been a big guy, but also very strong and fit, having joined the army the moment he was old enough to enlist, so most people knew not to take him on in a fight. That being said, the unsub didn't seem to care because they were of the same size and build as Tinsley. They all watched as the unsub whispered something into Tinsley's ear and then march him away down the alley and out of sight.

"Penelope," JJ said to her glasses-wearing friend after they watched the footage twice (it had been very short). "Will you rewind it to unsub's first appearance and freeze it? The unsub isn't wearing a mask."

As Penelope did that, Hotch asked, "JJ, do you think you might recognize the unsub?"

The communications liaison bobbed her head in confirmation. "Oh, yes. This is the kind of county where everybody knows everybody."

"Okay, JJ." Penelope called. "I did as you asked, and I even zoomed in, too."

"Thanks, PG."

JJ studied the frame carefully carefully as did Captain Ryder.

Both women recognized the unsub and turned to each other, speaking in unison.

"Oscar Lee Bismarck."

JJ nodded. "That's totally him."

"It is." Ryder stood. "I have a file on him, and I'll go get it, but you should go ahead and fill your team in since they're non-locals."

JJ nodded again and as Ryder exited the room, the others gathered around JJ for answers.

"I haven't seen or thought about Oscar Lee in years and years, but he's from the wrong side of the tracks, and he had a habit of beating me up when we were kids, even though he was three years ahead of me."

"How did you know him?" Spencer asked. "I mean, since you didn't go to school here?"

"We were in the same sports camp for our entire childhood, and he also never took too kindly to the fact that I only came around once a year, or that my family has as much money as it does. He also picked on me for being the short kid."

Emily remarked, "Oscar Lee sounds like he was your bully."

"He was until I was eight."

"What happened?"

"He actually jumped me and thought he could beat me up. I took a beating, but I got him back."

Emily's mouth dropped open in surprise and exclaimed, "He had to have been _eleven,_ at the most!"

"He was, but Archer and Rosaline intervened and they both beat him up _for_ me when they saw me defending myself. All of us got in trouble, but it was worth it because Oscar Lee never touched me again."

"I hope _our_ children become that close. _Wow…"_

Speaking to the room at large, JJ said, "I'm not surprised that Oscar Lee never left Montgomery, but I can't figure out why he would go after two other people before Tinsley, considering that his parents are the source of the family fortunes. That's the only part that feels… off."

Derek raised an eyebrow at JJ. "You make it sound like you don't think it's about the money."

"Don't _you?"_ she asked him. "If it was, there would have been a ransom demand, and we would have been here a _lot_ sooner."

"Touché. Do you think Oscar Lee will go after anyone else in your family, considering the beef he had with you when you were kids?"

"His behavior so far doesn't point to that, but honestly, I wouldn't say that it's out of the realm of possibility."

Before any of them could brainstorm ideas about how to keep JJ's family safe, Captain Ryder came back (only five minutes had passed since her departure) and she had the case-file with her. She handed it to Hotch, and he immediately invited her and Rossi to look it over with him.

As they sat together and did that, everyone else began to clean up the remnants of lunch, as they'd all eaten their fill by now, before setting about their previously-set tasks.

All of them had the same thought: this was going to be a long day.


	23. Twenty Two

Balfour-Lee Oswald Foxworth was related to JJ because he was actually Sandy Jareau's ever-so-slightly younger twin brother. He ran the family textile business with their other brother and his grown sons. He'd always had a soft spot for children, and JJ had plenty of stories from her childhood to back that up.

As for his wife, Sarahjane, she was one of the kindest people JJ had ever known, and as for her occupation, she was the principal of the local high school and loved it, having been in academics for her entire adult life. She invited JJ down to Alabama by train once when she was younger, so she could get away from everyone who was giving her grief about joining the FBI. JJ needed the time away to clear her head, and by the time her trip was over, not only was she happier with herself and at peace, but she also followed through on her descision to follow through on what her heart was telling her because Sarahjane had ecouraged her to never give up. When it came time for JJ's graduation from the FBI Academy, Sarahjane was there, cheering very loudly.

In short, JJ loved her aunt and uncle very much. Talking to them about their only child's last days was going to be tough.

* * *

"Jenny? Balfour and Sarahjane are here."

Captain Ryder was on the threshold of the conference room that she'd cleared for JJ to use for her interview. The Foxworths were with her.

"Thank you." JJ told her kindly.

Ryder left, closing the door behind her and JJ beckoned to her uncle and aunt, expressing her condolences about Tinsley again before giving them a hug. They were thankful and hugged her back; they'd never had any daughters of their own, but JJ was as good as one to them, so they'd always treated her like their own.

The couple noticed her baby belly right away when they sat on the love-seat across from the armchair that JJ was occupying; now that she was in the 'safe zone,' she was no longer hiding her expectant condition from the world and her clothes were more form-fitting.

"You're pregnant, Jenny?" Sarahjane asked.

"Uh-huh." JJ felt very proud as she framed the shape of her middle for them to see. "I've never been so happy."

"How far along are you?"

"Thirteen weeks with twins."

They congratulated her and then Balfour-Lee nodded towards his niece's cast. "What happened to your arm?"

"The babies' father is what happened to my arm, but it's all water under the bridge now because it was a really bad relationship, and he's dead now. The only good thing he ever did was give me babies to mother."

"So things are better now, it sounds like?"

JJ nodded again, smiling at his concern. "Oh, yes. I have a beautiful girlfriend—who is also pregnant—and I love her very much. If she doesn't beat me to the punch, I'm going to ask her to marry me in a few months."

JJ's good news brought a little bit more joy to the Foxworths in this bleak time, but for the sake of why they were gathered in the first place, JJ steered the conversation in a more useful direction. At least it was going to be easy because except for herself, her mother, and her brother, the rest of their Alabama family was local and saw each other all the time.

"Is there anything either of you can tell me about the last time you saw Tinsley?"

JJ's elders thought about it for a minute, and then Balfour-Lee said, "He was about to retire early."

"DeLilah didn't mention that." JJ remarked. "We spoke to her today."

"DeLilah didn't know because Tinsley was going to surprise her." Sarahjane said with a sad smile. "Tinsley returned from Iraq a few weeks before DeLilah got pregnant with baby number four, and he was offered a job at the hardware store because they're friendly with veterans readjusting to civilian life. DeLilah teaches art at my school, so she has a job, too, but Tinsley was just about to accept a more permanent position to be close to her, Hattie, Talley, Anna, and the baby."

Knowing the town like the back of her hand, JJ inquired, "Is the hardware store the one down on Main Street? O'Riley's?"

"That's the one." Sarahjane confirmed. "Tinsley missed Annalynn's birth because he was in Iraq, but since was eligible to sign up for the army when he turned seventeen and successfully enlisted, he had enough seniority to retire without any technicalities."

JJ nodded in understanding, taking mental notes.

"I'm only asking this next question because I have to, but do you know of anything, besides retirement plans from the army, that was new in Tinsely's life?"

Balfour-Lee had the answer to that. "DeLilah was encouraging him to get involved in some kind of social club, so he'd have something that was just for himself."

Her own prime hobby being long workouts at the gym when she wanted to have something just for herself, JJ gave another nod of understanding.

"Was he able to find something?" she wanted to know.

"Yes, and it's especially for veterans, actually." Balfour-Lee turned to Sarahjane. "Dear, do you remember what it was called?"

Though Balfour-Lee and Sarahjane were very attentive to the lives of the rest of the rest of their family in Montgomery, they still had their own lives to live.

Sarahjane looked to her niece, feeling sheepish. "I'm afraid I don't recall the name of the group, Jenny, but perhaps you and your people could check at the Veteran Center."

"We can do that." JJ told her. "I have one last question to ask, and then I can let you go."

"What is it, my sweet?"

"Where's Uncle Ellis, Aunt Maggie, and Duffy, Samuel, and Connor?"

Ellis-Kane was the older brother of Balfour-Lee and Sandy, but only by a year. Magnolia 'Maggie' Foxworth was his wife (although she'd been his companion since they were teenagers), and she was also the company bookkeeper. Duffy, Samuel, and Connor were their sons. In the long run, Ellis-Kane and his family handled all of the company's international affairs, and the five of them always travelled in a pack.

"They were all on a trip to Hong Kong and left the second they could. They're all flying back right now, and by the time they get back to Alabama, they'll have been flying for over a day."

A sudden thought popped into the older woman's head and, being able to read his wife like a book, Balfour-Lee raised an eyebrow at his wife when he saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"Sarahjane, is this really the best time to bring _that_ up?"

"Oh, _stop_ it!" Sarahjane admonished. "I wasn't going to say anything _specific_ to her, but I just want to know if she _knows!"_

JJ cleared her throat in a pointed manner. "Still here!"

They turned back to her.

"Jenny, how much have you talked to Archer since you've been here?" Sarahjane asked.

"I only saw him once today, and I introduced him to my girlfriend. I also asked him about why he's all the way down here instead of in Missouri, but other than that, not much."

"You really should talk to him about life in Drexel when you get a chance."

"Okay, I w—Uncle Balfour?"

The man had suddenly had his own thought, and he was trying to make sense of it, but he came back to reality when he heard his niece call his name.

"Sorry." he apologized. "I just remembered that Tinsley had words with your old bully, Oscar Lee."

"Did he, now? Do you know what these words were about?"

The old man thought about it for a moment. "He works at the hardware store, too, and it's promotion season. That miserable son of a gun told Tinsley that he didn't deserve anything more than part-time already when he's been at the store a lot longer than him."

"When was that?"

"Last week."

"Does DeLilah know?"

Balfour-Lee shook his head. "He didn't keep a lot of things from her, but I'm guessing he did this time because he didn't want her to get upset. Does this help? I'm sorry I only just remembered."

JJ offered him a kind smile. "It's a big help, and that's actually it for the questions. Will one of you please help me up?"

They both did, and JJ proceeded to walk them over to the elevators, where Derek and Emily were seeing off the families of the other victims.

When they were gone, JJ turned to her colleagues.

"Did you guys learn anything useful about Arthur Bradshaw or Nathaniel Xavier?"

Derek spoke first. "Bradshaw was a bank teller and married with two school-aged kids. Last time he was heard from, he was driving on his way to work. It looked like a carjacking because his car vanished the same time he did."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Has the car been recovered?"

"Yeah, but in a surprisingly _unrelated_ plot twist, they found his car up near Nashville in the hands of a carjacking ring."

JJ pinched the bridge of her nose briefly. "Anything about starting a job, getting a raise, or any kind of promotion recently?"

"His wife _did_ mention that he just got a big promotion."

"Any run-ins with Oscar-Lee? Tinsley actually _worked_ with him."

Derek thought back to the interview and then gave a nod. "They were friends, way back when, and they ran into each other at the market not long before he died, and Oscar made a remark about how he was at the bank that about how he'd noticed a poster with Bradshaw's picture on it, announcing that he was the new bank manager."

"How did you get that much information?"

"Bradshaw's wife, Carly, was there, and she told me about it just now."

JJ nodded and turned to her girlfriend.

"What did you learn about Nathaniel Xavier?"

"He was very, very ordinary, and he just began a job in the deli at the market where Oscar saw the Bradshaws."

"And let me guess—he saw the exchange, huh?"

"Bingo."

Derek jumped in. "But he told Xavier not to tell and _still_ went after him? Yikes!"

JJ wrinkled her nose. "We need to all regather in the conference room; I need to share some things that my aunt and uncle said."

"Hotch, Rossi, Reid, and Ryan should all still be there." Emily said, motioning for the others to follow her as she began walking. "Come on."

The others followed her like obedient puppies.

Their long day had just gotten longer.


	24. Twenty Three

JJ and the others spent the rest of the day following through on the leads they'd been provided with, and while they found out that Tinsley had joined a bird watching group that was offered through the Veteran's Center and that he was popular there, the most startling thing was that when they went to go talk to his boss and co-workers at the hardware store, they learned that Oscar Lee hadn't been seen there in almost two whole days, which was around the time that Tinsley had vanished.

Taking that in stride, Derek and Spencer were sent to stake Oscar's place out in the evening, but now it was nearing nine o'clock, and there was absolutely no activity from him whatsoever. He was on the loose, Derek and Spencer were sitting ducks, and the rest of them were flapping in the breeze. It was a very unpleasant feeling.

Back at the station, however, JJ, she felt like she was falling asleep.

* * *

"Hey, in there; you with us?"

JJ jumped when she realized she was being spoken to.

"Sorry, what?"

She, Emily, Hotch, Rossi, Penelope, and Ryder were all gathered at the conference table in the work area, but they'd all been quiet for awhile because nothing had been happening. At all.

"You look wiped out." Emily told her.

JJ leaned back in her chair and framed her middle with the fingers on her casted hand while with her good hand, she tickled her bump; it was a way to get the twins used to knowing she was there.

"Growing two babies 24/7 is a serious energy-drainer sometimes, but I _swear_ I'm awake."

At that, Hotch gave her a kind, friendly smile. "JJ, in that last two minutes, you've yawned at least four times."

"I have?"

"Uh-huh. Anything else on your mind?"

"Well, when I was talking to my aunt and uncle, they told me that I should talk to my brother about life back in Drexel; they made it sound like he's got something to share and that they know exactly what it is, but they don't want to spoil it."

"Go ahead and call him." Hotch responded after sending a responding to a text he'd just gotten. "Morgan just told me that a team from the precinct to relieve them at the stakeout. When they come back, we'll go back to the hotel and get some sleep so we can start again with fresh eyes in the morning."

JJ didn't need any more encouragement past that, so she picked up her phone and left the room in search of a quieter, more private space.

Eventually, she found a bench in a hallway and sat down on it, dialing her brother's number and then holding the phone to her ear. Archer picked up on the third ring.

"Jenny, hi." he sounded surprised. "Is there anything new?"

"No." JJ answered honestly. "Actually, when I was talking to Uncle Balfour and Aunt Sarahjane, they said I should ask you about your life back home."

Even though JJ couldn't see her brother at that particular moment, she could practically hear him smiling as he responded.

"Are you sitting down?"

"I am."

Archer took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "This was dumped in my lap two months ago, but my accounting firm is _permanently_ transferring us to Quantico; I'm going to the new director!"

JJ's heart was immediately on the ceiling because that news really caught her by surprise.

"Really? You've been wanting to be director for forever! Congrats!"

Archer beamed even though JJ couldn't see him. "Thanks. I called mom and Cho called _her_ mom about it so they both know, but mom probably told Uncle Balfour because we both know that there are no secrets between those two."

"That's very true." JJ laughed. "When are you, Cho, and sweet Kaida officially moving to Quantico?"

"In three weeks."

JJ's heart skipped a beat as she echoed, "Three _weeks?"_

"Yeah," Archer laughed nervously. "And I would have called you sooner, but..."

"But what...?" JJ gently pried.

"Almost right after we got the news about moving, Kaida turned nasty on us because she's upset about moving and then we found out that Cho is pregnant!"

JJ let out a squeal of delight. "Archie, that's _wonderful;_ I'm even happier for you! How is she doing?"

"She was as sick as a dog until just last week, although that's because we were blindsided by some things."

Knowing that her brother and his wife had already been planning on expanding their family, JJ couldn't possibly imagine what had blindsided them.

"Like what?"

"She was further along than we thought, for one thing, even though she didn't look it when we found out."

Now JJ was feeling perplexed because in all of the years she'd known her sister-in-law, Cho had always been very slender because that was just her natural figure.

"How far along _is_ Cho?"

"Now? Almost five months... with two boys."

Our family never does anything small, JJ thought in amusement, while aloud, she exclaimed, "I honestly don't know if my heart can handle any more joy! Does Kaida know?"

"She does, and we waited until Cho was past the twelve-week mark to tell her that there are twins. Kaida wouldn't even consider coming around to us until then."

"But she's happy _now?"_

"Oh, yes. Kaida is _totally_ over the moon..."

Archer became hesitant again, so JJ spoke in a waning tone. "Archer Dashiell Jareau, if you keep drifting off, I'm going to fall asleep because like your wife, I'm _also_ carrying two babies and at the moment, they're making me _very_ sleepy."

Catching his little sister's drift, Archer carried on. "Cho and Kaida are going to be flying down here tomorrow for Tinsley's funeral."

"Cho and DeLilah have been best friends for years; how come she hasn't come down here sooner?"

"The morning sickness has really been getting to her, and Kaida's in a theater production that she can't get out of."

"She's only eight, though."

"She's got the role of Marta von Trapp in _The Sound Of Music."_

"Two points to Kaida." JJ said, impressed.

"And she steals the show," Archer said proudly. "But more to the point, Cho also wants to come to look after DeLilah and Hattie and Talley and Annalynn."

"Dee needs all the help she can get right now, the poor thing." JJ sympathized while also being proud of how her family really took to heart looking after its own. "But this means that by the time they get here, Uncle Ellis and Aunt Maggie and the boys will be back from Hong Kong; all of the living Foxworths and Jareaus will be town."

"Hell of a way for Emily to meet all of us, huh?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Out of the corner of her eye, JJ spotted Spencer and Derek passing by her, having returned from their stakeout.

"Archer, I have to go, but it was great talking to you." JJ stood and stretched. "You give my love to Cho and Kaida the next time you talk to them, alright?"

"Will do, baby sis. Catch you around."

They hung up, and when JJ returned to collect her things, Emily noticed the smile on her girlfriend's face.

"What's that look for?" Emily asked her as they headed out to the cars. "Good chat with Archer?"

"For sure, and guess what? Cho and Kaida are going to be flying here tomorrow for Tinsley's funeral."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Really? Isn't that jumping the gun?"

"Well, when a crisis hits us, we tend to flock together. That's the way it's always been." JJ said with a shrug. "Cho has also been best friends with DeLilah for years, but that's another story. She wants to come down here to look after her, too, but they couldn't get down here sooner because Kaida has a lead in _The Sound Of Music."_

"Impressive, especially since she isn't even ten yet." Emily mused. "So I'll be meeting your sister-in-law and your niece, then?"

They'll be yours, too, one day, thought JJ. "Them... and the two little boys that Cho is carrying in her belly."

Emily lit up. "Cho's expecting? Tell me everything you know!"

* * *

When the team settled in at the hotel, JJ fell asleep the second her head hit her pillow on her bed. She was sharing the room with Emily and Penelope, like always and unsurprisingly, Penelope fell asleep around the same time as JJ, although in her own bed.

Emily was just about to change into her pajamas when her phone rang, and acting quickly, she picked it up from her bedside table and answered it in the hallway.

"This is Agent Prentiss." she hadn't recognized the number, so she had to answer professionally.

"Emily, it's Jenny's mother, Sandy."

Emily was a little taken aback to be getting a call from her, especially this late, but she kept her cool. "What can I do for you tonight."

"I... was just paid a visit by a man who used bully Jenny and her brother and sister when they were younger."

"Oscar Lee?"

Now Sandy was the one taken aback. "Jenny told you all about him?"

"Uh-huh. What did he say to you?"

Sandy hesitated. "Is there any way for you and Jenny to come and meet me?"

"She's already sleeping, but," (she spotted Hotch and Spencer passing by her on the way to their suite, but she managed to flag them down) "I can come with someone else. Where are you? Foxworth Hall?"

"No, I'm actually in the coffee shop at the big mall; you'll know it when you see it. I can explain why I'm not at my parents' house, too."

"Then we'll see you when we get there. Don't go anywhere."

"I won't, sweetheart. See you soon."

When they hung up and Emily put her phone away, she turned to the other two, both of whom were giving her expectant looks.

"That was JJ's mom." Emily explained. "She sounds kind of spooked because she was just paid a visit by Oscar Lee."

"Then you and Reid go talk to her." Hotch said. "Find out what's going on."

"What about JJ?" Spencer interjected.

"Let her sleep. We can tell her about it in the morning."

"Alright, then. We'll give you a report after that."

Pleased by that, Hotch continued on to his room while Emily and Spencer turned around and headed back to the elevators.


	25. Twenty Four

Emily and Spencer found the mall that Sandy had been talking about. It was about fifteen minutes away from the hotel, and two stories tall, but since the parking lot was mostly empty because of the late hour, they were able to park fairly close to the building. The coffee shop Sandy had mentioned was in a bookstore on the first floor, but they still found her, sitting at a table in the corner, staring at a half-empty paper coffee cup.

Beside her on another chair, baby Annalynn was fast asleep in her carseat. Sandy had brought Annalynn along because she'd been unbelievably fussy and nobody, not even DeLilah, could calm her. Annalynn was asleep by the time they got to the dry cleaners, and she'd even slept through the encounter with Oscar Lee. Hopefully, she'd sleep through the rest of the night.

"Thank you so much for coming." she said when Emily and Spencer joined her, sitting in the table's empty seats. "Do either of you want anything?"

The other two knew that that was just her Southern hospitality kicking in, so they politely declined.

"Why is Annalynn with you?" Emily asked, nodding towards the sleeping infant.

"The poor thing hasn't been able to sleep, so I figured a nighttime ride would do the trick. It worked." she explained. "And yes, DeLilah knows we're here because I called her, but I haven't told her about Oscar Lee."

Satisfied by this, Emily asked the first question.

"What happened?"

"I was coming out of the dry cleaners because I'd brought some things in for DeLilah and my parents… Oscar Lee surprised me in the parking lot."

"You recognized him, then?" Spencer inquired.

"Yes, and that's the part that surprised me because I hadn't seen him since he was at least in his early twenties; I recognized him because he has a big scar above his right eye."

"How did he get it?"

"In a tussle with my kids when they were all younger."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Is this the tussle where Oscar jumped JJ, and Archer and Rosaline jumped him in retaliation?"

"That's the one. Oscar told me to say that you all have to stop investigating the case and just let the sleeping dogs lie, or else…"

"Or else what?"

Sandy shivered. "Or else he'll make it harder for you all to put the pieces together, and he'll take someone else. I'm sure you can understand why I hightailed it to a public place with Annalynn."

"Indeed," Spencer confirmed. "And it was a smart move."

Emily nodded in agreement. "Do you think Oscar Lee will follow through on his threat?"

"That is the million dollar question, dear Emily." said Sandy.

"How so?" she asked.

"Oscar seemed like he'd been on the run because he's completely filthy and quite frankly, he reeks."

"You got that close?"

"Unfortunately, yes. He also seemed like he wasn't all there, if you catch my drift."

"We do." the other two chimed in unison.

"Oscar has been strange his entire life, but it's as if time has made him even stranger. I wouldn't say he won't do something, but it's just a matter of which one of us he chooses, and something tells me that neither of you, nor Jenny, nor even the rest of your team is exempt."

Emily took the warning (if that's what it was) in stride, but chose her next words carefully. "We will remember that."

Sandy nodded absently and reached into Annalynn's carseat, tucking her blanket over her little body after it fell. Annalynn let out a contented sigh and sank deeper into her slumber.

Clearly, Sandy's body language and tone were saying that she wanted to wrap things up, but she made made no move to go. Both Emily and Spencer had seen that expression on JJ before, and since they were talking to her mother, they proceeded with caution.

"We can escort you and Annalynn back to Foxworth Hall." Emily told her.

Sandy breathed a sigh of relief. "You read my mind. Thank you."

A few minutes later, Sandy was carrying Annalynn's car seat in one hand while walking beside Emily. Spencer was a pace or two ahead of them. Sandy noticed Emily walking with a slight gait and her hands plastered over her pregnant bulge. Though it was dark, the area of the parking lot they were in was lit mostly by the overhead streetlights and Sandy could see the small smile on Emily's lips.

"How far along are you?" Sandy asked her when they were in sight of her car.

"Fourteen weeks tomorrow." Emily answered happily.

She was going to say something else, but she stopped suddenly, seeing that Spencer had done the same and followed his line of sight. When Sandy saw what they were looking at, she held tightly onto the handle of Annalynn's car seat, but with her free hand, she made the sign of the cross over her heart.

Oscar Lee had followed her, and had been waiting for her the whole time she'd been inside. He did indeed look unhinged, but the others were on even higher alert when they saw he had a gun. The parking lot was even emptier now, so there was nobody to see what was happening, and that was really not good.

Instinctively, Spencer stood in front of Emily, Sandy, and Annalynn. His own weapon was drawn, poised to shoot, but he was going to go down the route of talking things out first.

"What do you need?" Spencer asked.

Oscar Lee motioned with his gun for the profiler to step aside. "Her."

Emily pointed to herself as she stood in front of Sandy and Annalynn. "Me?"

Oscar Lee rolled his eyes in a theatrical manner. "Not you! _Her!"_

Despite her expectant condition, it remained Emily's duty to keep Sandy and Annalynn safe for as long as possible because they were civilians. She would do anything to keep them safe, but of course, she could only do it to a point now because she had to protect the baby in her belly, too. She had to stall.

"I can't let you take her." Emily's hands were up to show that she meant no harm, but she still spoke in a tone of authority. "Not her, or the baby."

Again, Oscar Lee rolled his eyes in a theatrical manner. "I don't want that _baby!_ I want Jenny Jareau's _mother!"_

"And if I don't let you take her?"

Oscar Lee laughed, and he sounded even more unhinged as brandished his gun at her. "The safety on this gun is off, and I will shoot you. Step aside. Now."

Regretfully, Emily did, revealing Sandy and Annalynn.

The old woman showed no signs of fear as she stared Oscar Lee down. "You've got me; what is it?"

"Hand the baby off, and then get out your car keys and toss them here."

Sandy did as told, handing Annalynn to Emily. When she tossed the keys to Oscar Lee, he caught them and issued a new order.

"Drop your purse and come here."

Sandy obeyed, and the second she was within reach, Oscar Lee grabbed her by the wrist and held her in front of him, using her as a human shield. When he planted the muzzle of his gun in her side, she broke a little, but she did her best not to falter as Oscar Lee spoke to her.

"You and I are going to take a drive, and _if_ you cooperate, everything will be perfectly fine." he growled in her ear. "Tell me you understand."

"I understand." she told him. "I do."

"Good." Oscar Lee approved. "Anything you want to tell your friends?"

Sandy turned to the others, tears in her eyes. "Tell my family I'm so sorry and that I love them all so much. And Emily?"

The brunette was already feeling broken, but she still managed to answer to the sound of her name. "Yes?"

"If anything happens, please look after Jenny. She could lose her mind."

Praying that this was all getting picked up on a security feed, Emily nodded. "I promise you I will."

"Good girl. I love you already like you were one of mine, and I want you to know that no matter what happens, I forgive everyone, _especially_ you."

Deciding that that was enough, Oscar Lee took her into the car and sped off with her as his prisoner. The vehicle was gone too quickly for Spencer to even shoot out the tires.

Feeling disgusted with himself, Spencer holstered his weapon. "Hotch is going to kill me."

 _"You?"_ Emily exclaimed in a half-shriek that instantly woke Annalynn and made her begin to wail. _"JJ_ is going to kill _me!"_

That, and putting down Annalynn's carseat as carefully as she could was the last thing Emily remembered before passing out.

Across town, back in the hotel, JJ woke up.


	26. Twenty Five

Unsure as to why, JJ had woken abruptly from her sleep. Her first thought was that the babies were awake, but when she felt her baby bump through her pajama top, she concluded that, for once, both of her children were fast asleep. She also noticed that Emily wasn't in the room at all.

"JJ, what's wrong?"

A light sleeper, Penelope had woken and turned on the light, sitting all the way up in her bed as she did so.

"Nothing, Penelope." JJ told her friend. "Go back to sleep."

Penelope wasn't having it, especially when she noticed that the third member of their trio was absent.

"Where's Emily?"

"I was just wondering that, myself."

 _KNOCK KNOCK!_

Quite curious as to who was visiting, the pair made themselves decent by putting on robes the hotel had provided before JJ got out of her bed and answered the door.

Imagine her surprise when Hotch turned out to be the one calling on them. He was dressed, although in a sweat shirt, jeans, and sneakers because given the time of night it was and the nature of the situation, he didn't have time to change into his usual business attire.

Immediately more awake, JJ stepped aside to let him enter and shut the door behind him.

Penelope spoke up first. "Sir, what's going on?"

Hotch turned to JJ. "You should sit down."

JJ did as she was told, and Hotch's tone alone told her that she should be on her guard, so she sat right next to Penelope, whose hands were plastered on her baby bump. She was already tapping into her nervous mother hen mode and not saying anything, leaving JJ to echo the question that had already been asked.

"What's going on?" JJ's hands fell to her own pregnant middle, instinctively wanting to protect the babies. "Is it about Emily? Where is she?"

"It's more about your mother, Jennifer."

Now JJ just felt confused. "My _mom?"_

"She went to meet Prentiss and Reid to tell that she'd had an encounter with Oscar Lee. She also had Annalynn with her."

 _"What?"_

"Your mother was able to report what she needed to, and they about to drive them back to Foxworth Hall, but Oscar surprised them in the parking lot. According to Prentiss and Reid, he even had a gun."

JJ wasn't sure how she managed to even speaking, but she found herself asking, "Is my mom hurt? Did he shoot her?"

"No… but he _did_ abduct her at gunpoint."

JJ immediately felt like she'd been stabbed in the heart, and was only vaguely aware of Penelope giving her a back rub in between her shoulder blades, probably a tactic to keep her calm and something to focus on.

"And they just let him _take_ her? _Please_ tell me he didn't hurt Annalynn; DeLilah wouldn't be able to handle it."

"He didn't touch her, no."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief, although her heart tightened all over again as a new thought hit her.

"Aaron," JJ said seriously as she got to her feet. "Do you know if my mom at least has her inhaler? She's got bad asthma!"

Hotch knew for a fact that Sandy had left her purse at the crime scene, but he didn't have any firsthand knowledge of the exact inventory of its contents, making him feel like a bad friend as he answered her.

"JJ, I'm so sorry, but I don't know if she has her inhaler or not."

JJ heard her friend's words, but didn't quite process them because she suddenly felt dizzy and a little sick. She definitely wasn't in control of her body, that was for sure.

"JJ?" Hotch spoke cautiously as he and Penelope moved in to catch her, just in case. "Talk to us."

"You guys, I don't feel so good…"

And just like that, JJ collapsed and passed out in Hotch's arms.

As he tended to her, Penelope scrambled over to the bedside table for the phone and immediately dialed for help.

"911 opoerarer. What's the emergency?"

"This is Special Agent Penelope Garcia, badge number 96370! I need an ambulance to room 216 at the Clearwater Hotel on Main Street; we have a pregnant agent who has collapsed! Please hurry!"

* * *

Over at the hospital, Emily was recovering from her concussion and feeling very groggy. That being said, she remembered everything and just wanted to be left alone because she was ashamed of what had happened with Sandy. She was also afraid of what Hotch was going to say, but she was even more scared of what JJ was going to say.

That put Spencer in the waiting room with Annalynn. Derek joined him, having driven over from the hotel. He called to Foxworth Hall on way over, and Archer answered, promising to get DeLilah and his grandparents to the hospital as quickly as he could.

He was with Spencer and Annalynn in the waiting room for just a few minutes before leaving the the room to answer a phone call from Rossi. When he returned, he saw that Spencer was doing his best to soothe Annalynn because she was wide awake, very cranky, and hanging on like a baby koala.

"How's the little miss doing?"

"She's mad because all she wants is to sleep. She gets crankier if I move her."

Derek sighed, only because he knew that leaving Annalyn be was the best thing, and changed the subject. "Rossi just dropped a bombshell on me in that call."

"Did he, now?'

"JJ collapsed after finding out about her mother."

Spencer winced. "Has she had a seizure?"

"No, and even though Hotch caught her, she hit her head on the way down, so he'd already riding over with her in the ambulance."

"What about Rossi and Penelope?"

"They're going back to the precinct to work on putting out a BOLO for JJ's mom, the car, and Oscar Lee. I have no doubt that Penelope is going to be getting security cam footage, too." Derek told him. "They would come here, but too many cooks in the kitchen, and all that."

Spencer actually understood that metaphor, so he just nodded vaguely. Noticing, Derek addressed the matter.

"What's going on in your head, kid?"

"What measure of trouble would you say I'm in with Hotch? I'm totally willing to take all of the blame, considering what's just happened with Emily…"

Derek patted Spencer on the shoulder, although the younger man couldn't tell if it was a sympathy pat, or one of 'you're freaking doomed.'

"On a normal scale, it'd be an eight, but a Hotch scale. Fifteen."

Yep, Spencer thought. I'm doomed.

The two sat together in silence after that because they didn't know what to say to each other in that moment, but they didn't find each other's presences comforting.

"Reid? Morgan?"

The men jumped at the sound of their names and were then genuinely surprised to see Hotch standing in front of them. Neither of them had any idea how much time had passed, but if their boss had arrived, that meant that JJ was about.

"Sir?" they responded in unison, both doing their best to look sharp.

"JJ is resting, but isn't allowed visitors jus yet because the babies are being monitored and she needs to calm down and reacquaint herself with reality. A nurse is keeping her company at the moment."

Cautiously, Derek asked, "What happened, exactly?"

"JJ's blood pressure spiked. She didn't have a seizure, but she definitely fainted because her body overloaded from the shock. Depending on what the doctor says, JJ might even be benched for the rest of this case."

Speaking as cautiously as Derek had, Spencer inquired, "But JJ and the babies will be fine, right?"

Hotch nodded. "They're all expected to pull through, just fine."

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief. "Does JJ know that Emily is here as a patient?"

"No. All she _does_ know is that you and Prentiss went to go talk to Missus Jareau." Hotch told him. "One of us will tell her what's going on when she's cleared for visitors, and in the mean time, you and I need to have a chat about tonight's events."

Realizing that he should go, Derek stood. "I'll go see if Emily is in a sociable mood."

"Good idea." Hotch agreed. "Please tell her about JJ, and take Annalynn with you. I'll send the family in your direction when they arrive, but considering DeLilah's condition and everything that she's gone through recently, it might be awhile."

"That's alright."

Derek took Annalynn from Derek and when she fussed about being moved, he started talking to her, wanting to reassure her that she was fine. Mesmerized by the sound of Derek's voice, Annalynn simmered down almost immediately and rested her head on his shoulder, giving her eyes a rub as she yawned.

"See?" Derek held Annalynn securely in one arm while with his free hand, he picked up the handle of the carseat; he told himself it was practice for when his and Penelope's baby came. "Kids love me."

When he and Annalynn were out of sight, Hotch sat in the newly vacated chair and turned to face the youngest member of his team.

"Reid, I need you to know that I'm not entirely angry, but I am frustrated at the situation. You and Prentiss had to do what you had to do, didn't you?"

Spencer looked at him, quietly relieved as he recalled what Derek had said about 'Hotch Scale' measurements. "Uh-huh. Oscar Lee would've shot JJ's mother on the spot if she didn't cooperate with him, but she chose to go, and was remarkably calm about it."

"She was?"

"Yes. She must be where JJ gets it from." Spencer let out a halting sigh. "The last thing Missus Jareau said before she was taken was to Emily, but it was meant for all of us."

"What was it?"

"That no matter what happens, she forgives all of us."

Hotch was the one to let out a sigh. "We will find her. We will."

* * *

When Derek went to check on Emily, she accepted his and Annalynn's company, but only because should tell that he just needed something to do. Derek updated her on the situation, including the part that concerned JJ, and almost immediately, Emily's thoughts drifted to her love and how badly she wanted to see her.

She was more present for Hotch's visit when he arrived, though.

Leaving the pair be, Derek took Annalynn to see JJ when he was informed that she was finally allowed visitors.

"Hey, Ace. How are you doing?"

Derek asked this of his friend when he saw that he was awake and sitting up in her bed, dressed in a hospital gown and hooked up to a few kinds of monitoring wires.

JJ smiled at the nickname, although it wasn't completely heartfelt. "I'm really tired, sad, and scared."

"I would be, too." Derek sympathized.

"I want my mom so she can be safe and sound, but that's natural, isn't it?"

"In this kind of situation? Absolutely."

JJ sighed as she flexed the fingers on her damaged limb. "Have you seen Emily?"

Derek nodded. "We were just with her and when we left, Hotch was talking to her."

"Is Emily worried that I'm mad at her?"

Again, Derek nodded. "So is Reid."

"Emily is everything to me, and Spence is as good as a little brother; knowing those two and the kind of person that my mom is, what happened in that parking lot happened because it was the only situation without anyone getting hurt."

"That's what Reid said. He also said that he heard your mother tell Prentiss that she forgives all of us, no matter what."

"And I forgive Emily and Spencer. Will you tell them that if you see them before I do?"

"Of course."

JJ thanked him and nodded towards Annalynn. "Hotch mentioned that the baby was with my mom, but he wasn't specific."

"This is all started as a trip to the dry cleaners and a nighttime ride for Annalynn to get her to fall asleep."

JJ raised her eyebrows. "And she still won't sleep?"

"So it would seem. Spencer was minding her, but I took up the task, and Hotch told me that he'll send the rest of your family to us when they get here."

Tired of Derek, Annalynn leaned away from him, towards JJ, little arms outstretched.

JJ asked, "Will you give her to me, Derek?"

"Here you go."

He laid the baby on JJ's chest, and as Annalynn got comfortable, JJ felt all of her worry and fear leave her body. There was nothing quite like holding a baby.

"You're a sleepy baby princess, aren't you?" JJ cooed to Annalynn as Derek thoughtfully pulled the blanket over his friend and their little charge. "Go ahead and sleep. There's a good girl."

Truly exhausted but relieved to be with someone who was completely stationary, Annalynn closed her eyes and finally fell into a peaceful slumber. She was out like a light.

Eventually, JJ looked back at Derek. "Will you stay with me until someone comes? My mom is an asthmatic, and I don't know if she has her inhaler, but she's as tough as they come because another lifetime ago, she used to travel with charity groups to really poor countries to build schools and administer food aid. Southern belle that she is, I wouldn't put it past her to figure out how to escape."

"And would you don't want be alone right now?"

JJ nodded as her eyes filled with tears. "Yeah."

Derek wiped JJ's tears in an affectionate, older sibling sort of way before taking off his jacket and hanging it up on a nearby coatrack.

"Sure, JJ." Derek sat in the chair beside his friend's bed. "I'm here for as long as you need."


	27. Twenty Six

Though Sandy Jareau came from family money and then some, she preferred things quiet now. Had she gone down the road of elitism, like it had been expected of her, she would have never met her husband, married him, or given him three beautiful babies. Dashiell had been her best friend, and they'd had such adventures together.

Certainly the most memorable times were when they'd lived as nomads, traveling with different charity groups to Third World countries, helping to distribute food and build schools and clean-water wells. They'd loved every minute of it, but stopped and finally settled permanently when they realized that Archer was on the way.

Some of their crazier accounts, though, included Sandy and her husband, as well as their colleagues, getting kidnapped by local opposing forces that weren't too pleased to see them. As a result, Sandy learned quickly about survival instinct, and she was always able to think of an escape route and get everyone out without losing a single person.

She was a confident that she could escape form Oscar Lee because he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed and also because she was in a city that she knew like the back of her hand. Things were different this time around because she had a family and a whole host of people who had to be looking for her now, and she also had bad asthma now. It had developed just after Archer was born and gotten worse with age, but she always carried her inhaler and a refill cartridge in her purse… which she had been forced to abandon in the mall parking lot.

* * *

"The old fish cannery, Oscar?" Sandy questioned when she realized where they had gone to. _"Really?"_

"Shut up!" Oscar snarled as he gave her a jab in the back with his gun. "And you're my _hostage,_ so you're in absolutely _no_ position to protest!"

Sandy had already decided back in the parking lot that she was going to go down the route of 'show no fear,' but Oscar Lee had already made a flub: the factory, now abandoned for years and years, was now frequently used by squatters wanting to sleep and local kids looking for a place to have drinking parties. They were bound to get discovered even faster now.

Oscar Lee had led Sandy to one of the rooms on the second floor, and the large conveyer belt in the middle of the room told her that this was where the actual packaging of the fish had taken place. Another surveillance of the room told Sandy that Oscar Lee had been sleeping here, now that people were looking for him.

A sudden fall brought Sandy back to her senses—Oscar Lee had pushed her down, and now she had to act quickly to catch herself. Luckily, she didn't break anything when she landed.

"What do you want?" Sandy demanded. "You know I have my family and the FBI looking for me by now! Are you going to shoot me?"

Oscar Lee spoke in a mocking tone. _"Shoot_ you? I'll only do that if you don't _cooperate_ with me because I don't need you forever."

"Then what's your plan?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

His plan was to cross the border into Florida because he had a friend who could help him escape to Cuba.

"Okay, fine. Then at least tell me why you've been doing all this killing? I've known you since you were in your mama's belly, Oscar Lee, and I remember you as a bully, but never _once_ did I believe that you go so far as to _kill_ people, especially _innocent_ ones like my nephew Tinsley! You knew for his entire life, so _why?"_

"I killed him and all the others because they got too close!" he yelled, perilously close to screaming.

"To what?" Sandy demanded, unfazed.

Oscar Lee didn't answer because he had suddenly become aware of someone, probably a squatter, entering another part of the warehouse. On instinct, because his territory was being invaded, Oscar Lee prepped his gun, ready to shoot it as he figured out his next plan of attack.

"Oh, please don't shoot whoever it is that's down there!" Sandy begged. "No more innocent people have to die!"

"Shut up!"

For Sandy's begging, she earned herself a whack on the head and she passed out.

* * *

Back at the station house, Penelope and Rossi had been joined by Captain Ryder to help make sense of all the chaos, namely the security camera footage of what had happened at the mall.

They were able to not only see the abduction, but also Emily collapsing and even which way the car had gone. Spotting the car also proved a stroke of luck because Penelope was able to get a clean snapshot of the license plate, and she gave the information to Ryder, who immediately left to her office to issue a notice about it.

While that was happening, Rossi was next to Penelope, poring over a paper map and marking certain areas of it.

"Hmm…"

Next to him, Penelope looked up from her laptop and said, "Okay, I'll bite. What is it?"

"Oscar Lee drove the car due northeast, according to the footage," he said, tracing a certain route so Penelope could see it. "But from reports, I see that that that direction leads to sort of 'No Man's Land' area."

"Oh?"

Rossi did a quick double-check between his map and a summarized version of the reports he had laying next to it. "The thing is, all of the properties out in this direction are all abandoned."

"Just how much constitutes as 'all'?"

"Six."

 _"Six?"_

"A shoe factory, two different food processing plants, a tractor manufacturing plant, a fish cannery, and a slaughterhouse."

Penelope shuddered. "The vegetarian in me is hoping that we don't have to go to the slaughterhouse, but you're thinking that Oscar Lee took JJ's mom to one of these places?"

"Uh-huh, and I'd bet dollars to donuts that he killed of his victims at whichever place he's picked as his. The question is, which one?"

Penelope nodded in understanding and fired up her laptop. "I'll do a more thorough background check on him, and—oh…"

Rossi raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Garcia?"

The flamboyant woman had paused in her keyboard typing and was now leaning back in her chair, gliding her hands over her baby bump.

"I'm fine, sir. Just hungry." she told him. "I don't remember the last time I ate, and the baby is unhappy with me about it."

Rossi got to his feet immediately. "I'm actually hungry, too, now that I think about it, and I saw a food vending machine out in the hallway that looks like it dispenses meals. It isn't the healthiest thing for an expectant mother, but I'll go get what seems the least greasy."

"David Rossi," Penelope grinned at him. "You are a godsend."

"I aim to please, kiddo. Is there anything else you would l—"

 _BOOM! WOOSH!_

The rest of the inquiry was drowned out by a very sudden thunderclap, followed by a very brief power outage that coincided with a sudden downpour of rain. In a different part of the building, a back up generator kicked in and light was returned.

The captain came hurrying in just after that.

"I issued the BOLO you asked for just before the power went out," she said. "But it looks like we're all going to be staying here until the rain lets up. The generator will keep things running, and it's a powerful one, so it won't shut out until everything is back to normal."

Reassurred, Rossi turned to Penelope. "You fill the good captain in on our breakthrough, and I'll go get food."

Penelope agreed and began explaining things to Ryder as she sat down beside her. The technical analyst threw herself into explaining things because she was very worried for JJ's mother.

All she wanted was for this case to end well.

As for Sandy, she came back to consciousness not long after Oscar Lee left the room, and just in time because she'd been woken by gunshots. Oscar Lee was in a gunfight with the intruder.

Sandy covered her ears and hid.

When it was over, she waited to see if Oscar Lee would come back up. He didn't, because as it turned out, he'd been shot to death by a squatter who had also been armed. And like Oscar Lee, he was dead, too. They'd kill each other in a territory dispute.

It wasn't like Sandy had never seen a dead body before, but she forced herself to clear her thoughts as she rifled through Oscar Lee's pockets for the keys to DeLilah's car.

Finding them, she hurried out into the pouring rain and got into the car because it was in the main yard where Oscar Lee had parked it. Sandy started the car and drove off, wanting to get back to her side of town in one piece.

Sure, that had been one of her easier escapes, but she still had to drive through the rain while concussed.

Her biggest hope was that she didn't accidentally drive off the road before she made it safety.


	28. Twenty Seven

Sandy made it through the rain and all the way to the emergency room entrance at the main hospital on her side of town in one place and without hitting any hydroplanes on the rain-slicked roads. She ended up at the hospital on her family's side of town because it was the first safe place that she encountered on her drive back, and she knew that at the very least, Emily, Spencer, and Annalynn would have ended up here because of the night's events.

From the time she escaped, she'd been escaped she'd been expecting to have an adrenaline crash or an asthma attack, but not both. Just as she entered the hospital, her body gave out and she collapsed into a chair, wheezing heavily.

Two nurses at the main desk noticed her and hurried over with an emergency inhaler, oxygen tank, and nasal oxygen mask.

It wasn't until her breathing was back to normal, with help from the inhaler and a few minutes with the oxygen, that the first nurse recognized their patient.

"You're Sandy Jareau." she stated in surprise. "We received an alert that you'd been kidnapped."

"I escaped, and I-I just want to see my family because I think some of them are here. I also need to get in touch with Captain Hanna Ryder at the station house."

"Alright." the second nurse told her. "We'll help you find them, but first, can you tell me where all that blood came from?"

"Blood?" Sandy asked blankly.

The nurse pointed to Sandy's right knee and pant leg. Both were covered in almost-dry blood.

Oscar Lee's.

"It isn't mine—it belongs to the man who took me, and he _is_ dead, but I _didn't_ kill him!" she explained as she broke down into tears. _"Please_ just let me see my family!"

"Missus Jareau?"

Startled at the sound of an unfamiliar voice calling her name, Sandy turned to see a tall, bald clean-shaven dark-skinned man dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, sneakers, and a leather jacket. She'd never met him in person, but she recognized him from a photo that JJ had shown her once.

"Agent Morgan?"

Derek nodded as he approached. "Almost the whole team is here, and we're not going anywhere until the rain lets up. How did you escape?"

"I drove." she said honestly. "Oscar Lee is dead, and I didn't kill him, but I drove DeLilah's car. It's parked just outside."

"That's good to know." Derek told her kindly.

Really feeling the exhaustion, Sandy asked, "Are Emily, Spencer, and Annalynn here? I need to see them."

"They're here, and JJ is, too, but as a patient."

"Oh, dear." Sandy said softly. "How is she? Her precious cargo?"

"Everyone is fine, and I'll take you to see JJ, I promise." Derek turned to the nurses. "Is it okay for Missus Jareau to leave this area?"

Nodding, the nurses both got to their feet, and the second one, a young woman by the name of April, motioned for them to follow her.

"Come this way," she said mostly to Sandy. "And I'll get you some clean things to wear."

* * *

Derek had come down to the emergency room upon orders from Hotch in a text because he wanted him to see if there were any updates on the whereabouts of JJ's mother, DeLilah's car, and Oscar Lee. It was just as well, though, because a nurse brought Emily to see JJ, pushing her in a wheelchair.

She left after giving Emily instructions to not leave the room without a medical expert, and then Derek left just after that, closing the door behind him to give the couple some private time. Annalynn stayed behind, fast asleep in JJ's arms and content.

"Hello, beautiful." Emily put the brakes on her wheelchair and sat on the bed with JJ.

"Hey." JJ said softly and then let out a soft sigh as Emily gave her a smoldering kiss; it was the first time they'd seen each other since going to bed earlier in the evening.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm on bedrest until the morning, and I'm not allowed any fieldwork for the rest of the case. I'm also sad, scared, worried, and upset."

"When you say 'upset,' does that mean with me or Spencer?"

JJ shook her head. "Not at all, babe. I forgive both of you."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief and nodded towards their itty-bitty companion. "Speaking of a different kind of babe, why is Annalynn here?"

"She just wanted to sleep, and she actually fell asleep with me because I'm stationary."

"Are we looking after her for the time being?"

"Something like that, yeah."

JJ smiled as Emily bent down and kissed Annalynn's cheek. Both agents laughed as the baby let out a huge yawn and then burrow closer to JJ, grinning as she slept. It was like a little glimpse into the future, for when they would be able to hold all of their babies.

JJ broke the moment first, looking at Emily. "How are _you?"_

"Not allowed any sleep before noon tomorrow because I have a moderate concussion, and they still want to keep me monitored overnight. I'm also not allowed any fieldwork for the rest of the case."

"Well, it looks like you and I are going to be spending a lot of time at the hotel or Foxworth Hall after this." Emily arched her back and rubbed her middle as she felt her baby squirm inside her. "Only a few more weeks until we find out what we're having."

"And only a few more until I get my cast off, thank the Lord."

Emily said something in response to that, but JJ seemed vacant, so she changed tracks. "Are you thinking about your mom?"

"Yeah. She can take care of herself because she's been in this kind of situation before."

"What? When?"

"Before my siblings and I were born." JJ sighed. "She's also escaped from kidnapping, but this is the first time its happened since she's been a mother. She also has bad asthma."

"So you can't help but get concerned."

JJ nodded and shifted slightly in her bed as she felt her own offspring wiggle around just as her stomach rumbled audibly. "I can't remember the last time I ate anything, but I've lost my appetite. DeLilah is also on my mind because she can't even get here until the rain stops. When it rains out of nowhere in the south, especially in the winter, it isn't safe at all to be on the roads until they are completely cleared."

Emily got off the bed and pulled a chair up to it, sitting down on it. "Then we'll sit here together and talk until your worry quells or your appetite returns, whichever comes first."

"That works for me."

Emily leaned over and kissed her girlfriend. "And Jennifer?"

"Yes?"

"I love you, no matter what. Through the good and all the bad. Forever."

JJ felt her heart turn to goo. "And I love you just the same."

* * *

Later, just as JJ was beginning to contemplate actually eating again, there was a knock on the door, and when Emily opened it, she was both delighted and surprised when she saw who was on the other side.

"Sandy? You're alright?"

The older woman looked a little worse for wear, but she was also dressed in clean scrubs, shoes, and a hoodie for warmth. She was extremely relieved to see Emily.

"Yes," she said as she gave Emily a big hug. "And I'll explain what happened later, but right now, I just want to be with you, Jenny, and Annalynn right now because all of you are my family."

Emily was deeply touched to hear Sandy refer her as part of her family and gave her another hug before letting her go.

"Mom?" JJ's eyes filled with tears when she saw her. "You're safe! I was very worried!"

Sandy tore her gaze away from Annalynn after watching her sleep for a moment and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"I was worried, too, but all you need to know for now is that it's over."

And it was.


	29. Twenty Eight

As it turned out, Oscar Lee had been in the beginning stages of starting a counterfeiting ring, and everyone he killed had either figured it out, or had gotten close to it. All of the evidence to this was discovered when the local authorities raided his house. He also had an obscene amount of illegal marijuana growing in one of the back rooms of his house, and after some further investigating, it was discovered that he had already been selling it in the seedy neighborhoods and had had plans to move his business to Florida, and eventually, Cuba. If Oscar Lee hadn't already been dead at this point, the amount of marijuana on his property alone and the sales of it would have been enough to send him to jail for the rest of his life with no chance of parole.

* * *

By the time everything was over, JJ and Emily were let out of the hospital and taking it easy, as per the doctor's orders. They were also dreaming of their bed back in Virginia because they'd never missed it more.

The rest of JJ's family that had been flying in from different destinations were all finally in town by the time the ordeal was over and converging at Foxworth Hall. Although the main reason they were gathered was for a funeral, they were pleased to meet JJ's Quantico family, and when they found out that she and Emily were a couple, they were over the moon to welcome her into the fold. They were just as excited to learn about the babies, too.

* * *

Because a member of JJ's family had been killed and because he'd spent his entire adult life in the Army, the BAU team stayed for the funeral.

Everything went smoothly during the rest of their time down south… until they ran into a snag when they went to the airport, intending to board their jet so they could go back home.

A snowstorm was coming in, and fast. There was no way that they'd be able to fly any time soon. Adding insult to injury, while the jet pilot still had his room at the hotel, all of the agents' rooms had been given away not long after they vacated them.

In a word, they were stuck in Alabama.

* * *

As the team huddled together in a corner of the airport's VIP lounge, it was Emily who thought of the first good idea.

Turning to JJ, she asked, "In your opinion, would Foxworth Hall have room for all of us and your family?"

"Probably," JJ responded as she dug her phone out of her pocket with her good hand. "But if I tell either of my grandparents of our predicament, they wouldn't have the willpower to turn me away because they've spoiled me completely rotten for my entire life, and they also take the meaning of 'southern hospitality' to heart. You all would just have to put up with me speaking French or Russian as a reflex, and slipping all the way back into my southern twang. Once I'm around my mom and everyone, I can't turn it off until I'm on the way home again."

They promised to put up with JJ's ways in her 'natural habitat,' as Derek had so cheekily put it (and after Hotch sent him to arrange for a car that would carry all of them), JJ finally placed the call to the landline at Foxworth Hall.

Her grandmother answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Nana, it's Jenny."

Taken aback but thrilled to hear from her again so soon, Pearl chirped, "Jenny, is there something you and your friends need?"

"Yes, actually. We're stuck her because of the storm that's coming, and we don't have anywhere to sleep now."

"Then you all can come here and stay for as long as you need, alright? Everyone is here, bunkering down, but there is plenty of room for you and your team, too. Do you have a car, or should I send one of the chauffeurs?"

At that particular moment, Derek returned and showed them the keys and paperwork he'd obtained for a rental SUV.

"No, nana." JJ told Pearl. "Derek's just gotten us a car."

"Excellent. Then I'll get off the line right now and go make sure there are enough rooms made up for everyone."

"Thank you again." JJ said to her grandmother. "See you you soon."

When she hung up and pocketed her phone, she saw everyone watching her. Except for Hotch and Emily, the rest of them were blank.

"You really weren't kidding about how fast you can slip back into your southern self. That whole conversation was in French."

Blushing, JJ broke things down in English, although she slipped back into her southern accent because she was already at the 'not being able to turn it off' point.

"Nana says that everyone is at Foxworth Hall, but that there's plenty of room for all of us and that we can stay as long as we need to."

The rest of them breathed a collective sigh of relief and as they headed out to wait for Derek to get the car and bring it around to the front entrance of the airport, Emily and JJ trailed a few feet behind them, bringing up the rear.

"Babe," Emily said softly to her girlfriend. "You know what this means, right?"

"That all three of my worlds are colliding?"

"That, and you and I can't leave Alabama without catching your mother up on everything," Emily put a hand to JJ's middle. "That's happened lately."

JJ groaned and held Emily's hands in place as she hung her head. "I forgot."

Emily kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry. I'll be with you."

"I like the sound of that, but can we sleep first?"

Feeling the exhaustion of the last twenty-four hours, Emily nodded. "Absolutely."

When the team got to Foxworth Hall, they were first greeted by the staff who helped them out of their shoes and coats and even took their bags up the bedrooms for them before JJ's grandfather took Hotch, Rossi, Spencer, Derek, and Penelope on a tour of the house. Kaida, Talley Kay, and Hattie Bell tagged along when Spencer invited them, noticing that they were following him like a trio of baby ducklings. JJ and Emily would have gone, too, but they had a feeling that if they stayed in one spot long enough, Sandy would show up.

Not two minutes later, she did. "Jenny? Emily?"

The pair in question turned to see her walking up to them with baby Annalynn on her hip. Sandy still had bruises from her abduction, but now that she was clean and in her chilhood home with her family and new friends, she was on her way back to feeling like herself again.

"Are you two alright? I know everything is over and that you've both gotten clean bill of health, but I just thinking about your precious cargo."

"We're happy, and so are the babies, mom." JJ told her.

Added Emily, "Thank you for asking."

Sandy smiled at her in a motherly way. "Emily Magdalene, you are as good as my child now, so you're very welcome."

"Hey, wait—how did you know my middle name?"

"Jennifer talks." she winked before turning to JJ and snapping her fingers in front of her face when she saw that she was falling asleep on her feet. "Jennifer Abigail Grace!"

JJ immediately woke up, although in a comical way that elicited giggles from Annalyn and cried, "I'm totally awake!"

Sandy patted her cheek affectionately, smiling in amusement when JJ yawned and rubbed her eyes in an endearing, childlike way with her good hand.

"No, you're not." Sandy laughed. "Go ahead and go to bed with Emily; I can see she's getting sleepy, too."

"But we have things to talk about!"

"It can wait. I made up your old bed for you and Emily. Go sleep."

Grateful, they headed up to JJ's old childhood bedroom and after they making sure that none of their nieces had wandered in, they locked the door, got ready for bed and were asleep in less than fifteen minutes.

* * *

Emily woke first almost three hours later, finally feeling back to normal. Her heart jumped when she remembered where they were.

Beside her, JJ was beginning to stir, so Emily positioned herself over her girlfriend's beautiful swollen middle and seeing that her sleeping shirt was askew, she pulled it back just a little it more to reveal JJ's bump. Emily marveled over the sight of it, completely smitten and in love with knowing that two of her children were growing in there.

"Hi, babies." Emily spoke softly to them. "This is your mama talking, and I'm so happy to be able to talk to you now because everything has been crazy lately."

She pressed gentle kisses to the swell, wishing that she could feel the wiggles that JJ was probably feeling on a daily basis. The little one in her own womb was exceptionally wiggly, but she sometimes found herself wondering what it was like the carry twins.

"We need nicknames for you two now because you already have a little brother or sister growing inside me that mommy and I call Baby Bear. What'll it be?"

JJ had woken to the sound of Emily talking to the twins, but she didn't want to ruin the magic, so didn't say anything just yet and listened to her girlfriend talk to the twins for a little bit longer. Emily didn't seem to notice her.

"Call it mama's intuition, my tiny loves," Emily said. " But I think that both of you are baby princesses. That means that we have to think of really cute nicknames, like perhaps Kitty and Ladybug."

By now, JJ was reduced to mush, so she felt obligated to say something. "I think that Kitty and Ladybug are perfect."

Grinning at her approval, Emily kissed her love on the lips, and JJ found herself thinking that it was a good thing that she was already on the bed because she was gasping for air by the end.

"Wow." she propped herself up on her good elbow. "It's been awhile since you've done that."

Feeling lovey-dovey and knowing one of JJ's favorite things to feel were her lips, Emily kissed her a few times on her throat.

"I just love you so much, Jennifer. Meeting you is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

JJ finally sat all the way and, to the best of her ability, hugged her. "And meeting _you_ has been the best thing that's ever happened to _me._ You are the love of my life, Emilia. You are my always."

Emily deepened the hug. "And you are mine."

They would have stayed happily wrapped in their little bubble, but none of their offspring were having it, and, in different ways, let their mothers know that it was time to get up and rejoin the rest of the family.

* * *

Foxworth Hall in its entirety was so huge that after they made themselves decent and they did some exploring, JJ and Emily found the whole of both of their families in one of the larger parlors.

In one corner, they could see Rossi sitting on a char as he recounted a war story to JJ's cousins, Duffy, Samuel, and Connor. They were seated around him on separate chairs, in a semicircle, and Talley Kay on Duffy's lap, taking everything in. Over in another part of the room, Sandy was playing chess against Spencer as Kaida and Hattie Bell watched intently, trying to learn about the game while Derek and Hotch were a few feet away, chatting with JJ's uncles, grandfather, and brother as they took turns reading football scores from the newspaper that they were passing around.

Penelope, meanwhile, was on the couch by the fireplace, basking in the warmth and loving it because she kept palming her baby bump as her little one squirmed around; it got quite respondent to warm temperatures and chattering people. Surrounding Penelope on more chairs or sitting with her on the couch were DeLilah, Archer's wife Cho, Sandy, and JJ's aunts, Magnolia and Sarahjane, and of course, Nana Pearl. They were all knitting together while JJ's relatives shared stories of motherhood with Penelope. Atop a blanket on the floor in front of them, entertaining herself with toys was Annalynn, happy as a clam.

Emily turned to JJ, who was absorbing the scene in wonder.

"What are you thinking?" Emily asked her.

"That's my family hanging out with, loving, and accepting my work family?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then I think that I'm looking at one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen."

Overwhelmed with emotion she turned to Emily and just hugged her again for a minute.

Patient, and remembering that in spite of everything that JJ still had some rehabilitating to do, Emily returned the hug, murmuring comforting things in her ear.

The others noticed that JJ was getting emotional, but let her be for the most part when they saw that Emily was comforting her. Sandy, however, moved one of her chess pieces across the board, called a "Checkmate!" thus ending her game with Spencer, and went to JJ and Emily when saw that they'd moved out into the hallway, away from the noise.

She started the conversation by offering something nice, but also generic. "Nice to see you two awake."

"We are both well-rested." Emily replied.

Glad to the hear this, the older woman turned her attention to JJ and, seeing that she was recovering yet, she reached out and touched her cheek gently.

"Jenny-lou," she used an old nickname on her. "What's happened to you?"

Almost instinctively, JJ turned to Emily, who said, "She's your _mother,_ Jayje. My parents believed you, so if anyone will, we both know that your own mother will."

JJ felt better, so she stood properly and faced he mother, answering her. "I'll explain the story after dinner, but the short of it is that I survived living with a monster. He broke me and I fell apart, but Emily showed up first and has been helping me put myself together. Her parents also helped out when we went to visit over Christmas vacation. I'm sorry I didn't tell you mom. I just wasn't in a good place."

"It's okay, Jenny." Sandy cooed, wiping the tears pouring down her offspring's cheeks. "You said that Emily and her parents have been taking care of you?"

JJ nodded. "Yes, and I really can't wait for you to meet Maximo and Elizabeth because they're both very curious about you."

Sandy smiled at that. "But if you were with three people who really love you during a time when you clearly needed it, then I can't be upset for not telling me until now."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief.

"As long as you weren't alone, then that already make my heart lighter, but I have to ask: is this 'monster' you mentioned the one who broke your arm and put your baby in your belly?"

"He did break my arm in a bad fight, but he, uh, actually put _two_ babies in my belly."

Sandy gasped in surprise. "You're having _twins?"_

JJ nodded again. "Their father only knew of one of them and he didn't even want the responsibility, but Emily loves them and wants to be their mother."

Sandy looked over at Emily, her heart filling with even more love and affection for her.

"You do?" she managed to ask. "You want to be my grandbabies' mama?"

"I do." Emily answered without missing a beat. "I became smitten when I saw them for the first time on the ultrasound monitor. JJ feels the same way about the baby I'm carrying."

Sandy let up at that and turned back to JJ.

"I may not always be able protect you anymore, Jennifer Abigail Grace, but I will _always_ love you."

JJ came apart at that, crying like a little girl, and Emily just about melted, but then she suddenly felt like she was intruding.

Just as she tried to sneak away, Sandy called out to her. "Wait a moment, Emily Magdalene."

The brunette halted in her tracks, although it was mostly upon hearing her girlfriend's mother middle name her a second time, and watched as she gave JJ what sounded like instructions in Russian. JJ gave a nod of understanding before heading away towards the kitchen.

"You love Jenny?" Sandy asked when they were alone.

"With all of my heart. I know she just told you all of the things that I've done for her, but she's shown me a few things, too."

"Oh?"

Emily's bottom lip trembled as emotions she hadn't shared with her own parents came bubbling to the surface. "JJ was the first actual friend I made when I came to the BAU, and she's also the first friend I've had that has actually stuck with me when it got hard. She even fixed my broken heart."

"Really?"

"Yep, and she even showed me what true love is. I've seen the bond between my parents, and it's really unique because they've been best friends since they were eleven, but I've never had that for myself until I met your daughter. She'll say the same thing about me, that I mended her heart, because she was practically robbed of the ability to process or believe that anyone can love her. She went through a lot, and I'm rehabilitating her because it was that bad, and because I love her."

Sandy didn't say anything, but only because she didn't know quite what to say and she had a feeling that Emily still needed to get some things off her chest.

"I'm older than I look, and this baby," she tapped her middle in indication. "Is the last one that I'll probably ever be able to have because I waited too long, and I already have three angel babies. The first I aborted when I was fifteen because I was really scared, but the other two were IVF babies, and I miscarried both times."

"Does Jenny know?"

"Yes, and I thought it would change how she sees me, but it didn't!" (Emily thought back to the night when she'd told JJ about this) "Now my love is going to be part of the family that neither of us thought we'd ever have!"

Surprised and overwhelmed by the confession, Sandy hugged her close. "Thank you for telling me all of that, sweetheart, and thank you for taking care of Jenny and the babies, especially in the most crucial hours."

"They are my family, and I can't wait to hold those babies in my arms with their little brother or sister so I can give them all kisses, but I really can't wait to spend the rest of my life making JJ happy."

"Are you saying that you want to marry Jenny?"

"Yes." Emily nodded. "I know things have gone fast, but she feels the same way."

"When did you know…?"

"The first time we met, and I've never been so sure of anything in my life."

"Then come find me after Jenny goes to bed." Sandy decided. "I'll probably be in my room."

Emily became taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"

"I have a ring that you can propose to her with. My husband used it to propose to me with, but after he passed away, I sent it down here for nana to keep safe." she explained. "Jenny and I even have the same ring size."

"Wow," was all Emily could say to that.

"Go wash up." Sandy said, nodding towards a door a few feet behind them. "Spruce yourself up so that Jenny doesn't get suspicious."

"Okay." Emily agreed. "I can do that."

The two parted ways, although Emily's head was now filled with ideas of how she could propose to JJ.


	30. Twenty Nine

Dinner went by in a flash for Emily and JJ, and some of it was because there were so many people and they loved them all, but it was also because JJ was getting nervous about telling Sandy about what had been happening in her life in the recent months. She knew that her mother wouldn't judge her because she loved her unconditionally, but it was going to be hard to look at her mother's face when she would have to recount the more traumatic parts.

Before long, dinner and dessert were over, and people were spreading out to do different things again, meaning that it was finally time.

* * *

Eventually, the three of them settled in Sandy's room on the second floor, away from all of the noise. They sat together on the big bed, because it was big enough to hold all three of them, and it was JJ who spoke first.

"Mom, where should I start?"

"At the beginning," she told her offspring before turning to her girlfriend. "And Emily?"

"Yes?"

"Feel free to contribute where you see fit."

"I will."

They both turned to JJ, who let out a shaky breath and began. "About four months ago, I met a guy at a gym called Baylor McMath. I was at the gym because I was working out anger from having dumped my boyfriend an hour beforehand. What happened before I got to the gym is unimportant, though. Baylor saw me and walked over from where he'd been lifting weights and offered to hold my punching bag."

"Still kickboxing." Sandy gave an approving nod. "Go on."

"We hit it off, and by the end of the day, we realized that we got on well, but the bad stuff didn't start until after we became a couple."

"What kind of bad things?"

Even though JJ had been anticipating this, but she still began hyperventilating as the memories came back in a flood. Emily reacted by giving her a back rub in between her shoulder blades.

"It's okay, my love." Emily soothed. "Just take your time."

JJ did take her time, but when she spoke again, she already sounded broken. "Baylor was a bit older than me and worked at a business firm, but when things went bad, he'd get really angry and take it out on me, especially when he was drunk. He'd hit me, but when we were intimate, he'd get really, really rough with me."

Sandy read between the lines and felt her heart break for JJ. She longed to reach out and comfort her, she saw that she was holding steadfast to Emily's hand with her good one. Emily was her anchor.

"Jenny, I am _so_ sorry that those things happened to you."

"And I'm sorry I never said anything to anyone." JJ sighed. "I was ashamed and too preoccupied with trying to make it through the day while still doing my job… I don't even know if the twins were made when things were consensual, but I decided to not do the math on it."

"That's reasonable. When did Emily come into the picture?"

Emily felt a lump in her throat as she remembered back to receiving JJ's phone call about her assault and how scared she'd been.

Seeing Emily waver, JJ gave her hand a gentle squeeze before answering her mother. "A few months before I met Baylor. We became friends right away, but we didn't really become as close as we are now until after this one case in Oregon…"

"What happened in Oregon?"

And so JJ explained about her pregnancy, and how sweet baby Zooey had been one of the deciding factors in her not having an abortion. She also explained about coming home to find Baylor at her apartment, and how he'd wanted to give her money to help her get rid of the pregnancy.

"He was very close to leaving my place without touching me after I dumped him, but I let something slip and he heard me."

Sandy wrinkled her nose. "And what did he do after that?"

"Baylor had tunnel vision when he got bad, so even though he knew that I was pregnant by that point, he threw me against my bookshelf, and some of the heavier things fell on my arm."

"And that's how it broke?"

"Uh-huh, and then Emily showed up…"

When her words faltered, Emily held her close in reassurance but took over telling the story.

"JJ called me and her timing was remarkable because we'd been back in Virginia for less than two hours. I was on my way back from a doctor's appointment, and," she pointed to her petite middle. "I had a feeling that I was pregnant when we were in Alabama, but I had an ultrasound appointment scheduled for when we came back and I was too busy in Alabama to go to a doctor there. JJ was the first person I spoke to after I left the clinic, and I was going to tell her about the baby, but she was so scared that I made her talk to me and stay on the line until I got to her place."

"What happened when you got to Jenny's place? Did you take her to the hospital?"

"I had to call 911 for an ambulance because she practically blacked out on me, but yes." Emily confirmed. "We found out about both babies at the hospital, and Penelope even came for a visit."

Sandy had had the opportunity to get to now Penelope and was quite charmed by her, so she smiled. "That woman just 'shows up,' doesn't she?"

Emily laughed. "Yes, she does, and because of a chat she and I had with JJ, any further thoughts of an abortion were taken off the table altogether. "

"Now I have to find Penelope and give her a hug."

Sandy leaned back on her hands.

"I'm tracking everything so far and I absolutely love the love that you two have got for each other, and as a mother, it makes me happier than I think you two will ever know. I just have one question."

"Spill," JJ said, breaking her silence.

"You two keep talking like Baylor is dead. Is he?"

"Yes. Aaron shot him."

Sandy sat back up. _"Excuse_ me?"

JJ and Emily proceeded to tag team in explaining everything about New York, and by the time they were done, Sandy didn't know what to say, but she was incredibly proud of JJ for surviving all of the horrors and had nothing but love for Emily for sticking with her and rehabilitating her.

"Jenny," she addressed her daughter. "Is this when you went home with Emily for Christmas and Skyped me?"

"Yeah, and I don't know where I would have been without her or her parents because I had some major emotional roadblocks. Emily is helping me conquer a few more, but her mom helped me conquer one about being left behind after someone dies and her dad helped me with a roadblock about coming to terms with grief and trauma. Parts of my heart still hurt a little, but not as bad as it did."

JJ stretched out on the bed, laying her head on her mother's lap. She had done this all the time when she was little, and just like she had done back then, Sandy began stroking JJ's hair.

As Emily began thinking of an excuse to leave, they heard a tiny voice call out from the other side of the door.

"Auntie Emmy?"

"Who is it?" Emily called back, genuinely not knowing.

"Hattie Bell! Will you come look at my book with me?"

"Yes, but just a second!"

"Okay!" the three-year-old called back.

Emily turned back to JJ and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll find you later, okay?"

"Alright." JJ smiled. "I love you, Emilia."

"Right back at you, Jennifer."

Giving one last farewell to her present company, she went out to the hallway and closed the door behind her, soon spotting little Hattie Bell Foxworth dressed in her pajamas and carrying a book under one arm.

"Hi, Auntie Emmy." she said around a yawn.

"Hey, sweet pea. Are you sleepy?"

Hattie Bell nodded and held a hand out to her. "Mhm, but I want _you."_

Emily was very touched by this and took her hand. "I would _love_ to hang out with you. Do you have a quiet space?"

Hattie Bell actually had her own room and was proud to show it all off, especially her comfy bed. Emily surprised herself by being able to fit on it, baby bump and all. The storybook was full of different fairy tales, and having heard all of them before, Hattie Bell decided to let Emily pick a story at random.

Emily read to Hattie Bell until she fell asleep.

* * *

Speaking of sleeping, Emily remembered what Sandy had said about coming to find her after JJ fell asleep. She did just that and found her in her bedroom again.

"Hi, Emily." Sandy lit up when she saw her. "Jenny is asleep, I take it?"

Emily nodded as she closed the door behind her. "She fell asleep awhile ago, but then your parents cornered me and started asking me questions about my intentions towards JJ."

"Sounds like them."

Sandy plucked a small black velveteen box off her bedside table and closed the small distance between her and Emily, handing it to her when she was within reach.

"Open this."

Emily did, and she was greeted by the sight of a beautiful but simple diamond engagement ring. The karat quality of the diamond itself was neither too extravagant nor exceedingly simple, and Emily found herself particularly admiring that the silver band was infused with smaller diamonds.

Emily closed the box and gave Sandy a quick hug. "This ring is really beautiful, Sandy."

"I'm glad you think so." The blond beamed. "That is the ring that Jenny's father proposed to me with, and it belonged to my husband's mother before that. He would have loved you _so_ much, Emily, and he would have already beat me to the punch with what I'm about to say."

"And what's that?"

"You officially have my blessing to marry Jenny."

Emily blew out a breath of relief. "Thank you."

One hundred percent herself now, Sandy was the one to give out a hug this time.

"Emily," she said when they pulled apart. "Do you have time for a story?"

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Of course, but what is it about?"

Sandy sat on her bed, and already interested, Emily followed suit.

"It's about how Dashiell proposed to me, back during our nomad phase. Would you like to hear?"

Emily made herself comfortable. "Absolutely."

"It goes like this…"


	31. Thirty

**Sorry it's been awhile—I had writer's block!**

* * *

January faded into Februrary, and a lot of changes happened for JJ and Emily.

The first thing was that JJ and Emily were both at eighteen, almost nineteen weeks pregnant now, and that JJ was completely moved in with Emily, although it was the beginning of their transition period; next up on the master agenda of things to do was look for a good and proper house to buy and live in.

Another thing was that Archer, Cho, and Kaida had also moved from Drexel to their new house in Georgetown recently, and were settling in. Happy to have part of their family nearby, JJ and Emily did their part to welcome them to town, even introducing them to Haley and Jack during a get-together at Rossi's.

Today also happened to be Valentine's Day, and JJ had been excited for ages because after Alabama, she felt like she had gotten a lot off her chest and she felt like she was ready to take the next step in her relationship with Emily. A weekend jaunt to JJ's childhood home in Pennsylvania to see Sandy again also helped.

Today was also the day that that JJ was to get her cast removed.

* * *

"I can't believe that six in the morning was the only time that we could book to get the cast taken off." Emily said around a yawn. "I miss coffee."

"So do I."

JJ's tone of response was way too cheerful, and it set off a red flag in Emily's head.

"You're up to something, aren't you?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that, my love."

Before Emily could make a comment about her girlfriend being cheeky with her, the door to the exam room opened to reveal Doctor Singh, the doctor who would be helping them out for the appointment. She had all of the tools with her necessary for taking the cast off, including something that looked like a shop vac with a circular saw attached to the end of a hose.

"Good morning, you two." she greeted them.

Still not completely with the program, Emily just nodded hello as JJ returned the greeting, still—in Emily's opinion—suspiciously cheerful.

"Hello, and please don't mind Emily. She has never been a morning person and since we're both pregnant, she's bumming out about no coffee."

Singh smiled in amusement as she set the equipment up and motioned for JJ and Emily to come sit at a table with her near the window. "I remember those days, and I was pregnant twice in less than three years."

The pregnant couple both winced at the thought of the idea, but they got up and sat on the chairs at the table. Singh pulled up a swivel stool and sat across from them.

"Did my nurse explain the process to you?"

JJ nodded as she took off her coat and handed it to Emily to hold, then rolling up her sleeve to reveal the cast. "You're going to use that saw to cut through the plaster, and those clippers to cut through the rest."

"Precisely." confirmed Singh. "The blade can't hurt you, but I _do_ need you to stay still, alright?"

JJ nodded in understanding this time around and rested her arm on the tabletop and watched as the doctor made quick work of removing her cast.

Everything happened in a heartbeat and before long…

"Oh, my God…"

JJ was looking at her arm now. Though some of her bared skin was peeling on account of being wrapped up for so long, but now everything was completely healed, and after a few reflex tests, JJ was completely cleared.

"JJ," Singh addressed her when it was all over. "Would you like to keep the cast? Some people do, and I thought I'd glue it back together since you have quite a collection of signatures on it."

"I hadn't even considered that…"

On one hand, JJ had gotten the cast because her abuser had gotten the better of her, the plaster was covered with all of the names of the people who had either looked after her or made a huge impression on her in the past eight weeks.

And love conquered hate, any day.

"Sure. I'd like to keep it."

"Alright. Hang on a second."

They watched as Doctor Singh brushed off the excess plaster dust and then glue it back together so neatly that one couldn't even tell that it had ever been sawed apart in the first place. It was even wrapped up to keep getting damaged.

JJ left the office feeling very proud of herself.

In an effort to cheer Emily up about being awake so early, she took her out to breakfast at the local pancake house before work, and they both ate happily together as they discussed their plans for the day.

"Wow, babe." Emily said when they were back in the car and on the way to work. "Thank you for breakfast. That was really nice of you."

"You're very welcome." JJ said as she drove the car along. "What does Baby Bear think?"

Emily gave her middle a rub, grinning at the sensation of the baby's wiggles in response to her touch. It still wasn't big enough to kick her yet, but those movements, not as minute as they had been in recent weeks, were unmistakable.

"Baby Bear is very happy about breakfast. *hic* Oh, *hic* hell no…"

Emily's answer was completely derailed by two loud hiccups, and JJ giggled.

"Baby Bear got the hiccups now?"

"Y— *hic* Yes. *hic* They're b— *hic* becoming *hic* intense."

JJ laughed more. "Sounds like it."

"Don't you *hic* laugh *hic* at me, missy. *hic* You've got *hic* _two_ babies *hic* on the *hic* inside!"

The grin on JJ's face promptly slid off and her only response was to sigh, although the sound was punctuated by a hiccup… leading to a storm of them.

When they got into work, they found themselves arriving at the elevator at the same time as Hotch, Rossi, Penelope, Derek, and Spencer, so they all rode up to the sixth floor together. After everyone said their good mornings to each other, Penelope immediately noticed that JJ and Emily weren't quite their usual selves.

"What's the matter with you two? I know Emily isn't a morning person, but both of you are quiet and that's just creepy." she said. "Cat got your tongue?"

Emily shook her head and pointed to the swell of her middle. "We have h—*hic* hiccups."

JJ pointed to her own middle, adding, "Us, *hic* too."

Penelope laughed sympathetically and framed her baby belly where her own child, nineteen weeks into gestation, was currently wide awake and stretching out; he or she was particularly wiggly in elevators.

"I'm so glad nothing like that has happened to me yet."

Before either JJ or Emily could make a "Just you wait!" remark, Spencer noticed how JJ kept twirling her left wrist.

"JJ, what are you doing?"

JJ rolled back her jacket sleeve and shirt sleeve, showing off her arm.

"Ta-da! We *hic* had to *hic* get up *hic* early to make *hic* the appointment, but *hic* my cast is *hic* off now; I'm *hic* healed up!"

Spencer, Penelope, Derek, Hotch, and Rossi all congratulated her and a few moments later, the elevator doors opened and the team piled out with Emily and guys all heading straight into bullpen as JJ and Penelope headed in the opposite direction, towards their own respective work offices.

As they approached JJ's, she unlocked it and pulled Penelope inside.

"You remember *hic* the plan, *hic* right?" she asked.

Penelope nodded. "Barring a case, Emily is coming with me after work, and then we're going to pick up Haley and then Cho for a girl's night out in the shopping district, but this is mostly happening because your brother told you that Cho is going stir crazy and feels lonely!"

JJ's sister-in-law was now six-and-half months pregnant with twin sons that liked to kick her for sport. She had spent her first few weeks in her new home organizing their house and unpacking from the move—it was full-on nesting, bust she wouldn't admit it—as well as helping Archer get settled in at work and Kaida at her new school. Despite coming from family money, putting others before herself was the way she and her siblings had been raised. She'd gone out with JJ, Emily, Penelope, and Haley once, to be polite, but after that she always made excuses about going out to do something just for herself. With a handful of her favorite people planning to show up on her doorstep, she wouldn't have the willpower to refuse what their invitation for a night out.

"Bingo." JJ praised.

"Emily really has no idea what you've got up your sleeve?"

"N—*hic* no."

A mischievous glint appeared in Penelope's eyes. "This is going to be _so_ much fun."

"The more *hic* distracted, the *hic* the b—*hic* better…"

JJ's words tapered off because she was interrupted with a blast of hiccups.

Taking pity, Penelope queried, "Would you like me to research hiccup cures and help you cure yourself?"

JJ just nodded, still caught up in the hiccups.

She had a long day ahead of her.

* * *

Luckily, since it was a kind of housekeeping week, they didn't have to go anywhere, other than to their various modes of transportation back in the parking garage at the end of the day after they all clocked out.

Thanks to Penelope's Valentine-themed outfit and her handing out chocolates to everyone, the holiday was on the forefront of everyone's minds and since Penelope was going to be out with her friends—Haley included—Derek invited Hotch to come to the bar with him. He actually agreed, since Jack was going to be at the baby sitter's, anyway. Rossi also agreed to come when they extended the invitation to him, but when it came to Spencer, they all but forced him into agreeing (with Derek saying that it would 'build character' for him) and frogmarching him into the elevator when he tried to duck out at the last minute.

The highlight of Emily's day was her hiccups dissipating when Strauss bumped into her in the hallway, accidentally scaring her.

Penelope, to her credit, hadn't spoiled JJ's plan at all, even calling Haley at one point to advise her to play along with keeping Emily distracted. Already in on the plan to get Cho to leave her house, Haley happily agreed to that, too.

That meant that at the end of the day, Emily really had no idea what was going on, even when she came to see JJ in her office, dressed in her coat, hat, and gloves with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey, Jayje! Are you _sure_ you can't come hang out with me, PG, Cho, and Haley?"

"Yeah, babe, I'm sure." JJ did her best to sound convincing. "I have more files to go through than I thought, and it wouldn't be fun if I put them off."

JJ rounded rounded her desk and, seeing Emily's favorite scarf still in her bag, she pulled it out and wrapped it around her neck to keep her warm. The worst of the winter chill was over, but Emily got cold easily, so she really liked to stay toasty.

Completing the act of domesticity, JJ stood on her tiptoes and kissed Emily soundly on the lips. She loved these little married moments.

"Will that tide you over until you come home to me?"

Of course it would. JJ, as Emily had come to discover, was quite the minx and she had an incredible power of suggestion over her. JJ had just kissed her like her life depended on it, and the magnitude of the kiss had sent Emily's mind cascading into a free fall, where all she could think about was taking JJ in their bed later on.

"Yes." Emily finally managed to answer, and then remembering that Penelope was waiting for her out in the lobby, gave her love a kiss on the cheek. "I'll call you later."

Pleased by this, JJ gave her a hug and then steered her out of the door and in the direction of the lobby.

When Emily was out of sight, JJ picked her phone up from her desk and then stretched out on her sofa, even kicking off her shoes and wiggling the toes on her stockinged feet.

She didn't really have any extra files. That had just been a ruse, and Emily had actually fallen for it.

Not bad, Jenny, she told herself. Maybe you'll be a profiler one day.

As she settled in to wait for a text from Penelope saying that Emily was distracted enough, she felt the twins moving around in her womb. It made her smile.

"Hey, in there, Kitty and Ladybug." she looked down at her bump and gave it a few gentle methodical pushes, her smile growing when the babies got even wigglier. "I think that at some point this week, mama and I are going to have to start thinking of names for you two and Baby Bear. What do you think?"

Kitty and Ladybug wiggled.

"Yeah," JJ sighed happily, rubbing her middle. "I think so, too."

This was going to be a fun Valentine's Day.


	32. Thirty One

JJ only had to wait about an hour for an 'Emily is distracted' text, and when she got it, she promptly packed all of her things up, along with a few more items that she'd been keeping hidden in her office, and left the building altogether.

Once she got to hers and Emily's place, she put away her shoes and things before taking everything else upstairs, glad she had full use of both arms now. She was determined to give Emily a Valentine's Day to remember.

* * *

"JJ?"

Emily called her girlfriend's name as she entered the townhouse a quarter of an hour later, laden down with her shopping bags.

"Where are you?"

"Up here, my love!" JJ called back.

Quite curious, Emily put her coat and things away before she regathered her bags and brought them upstairs. When she got to the bedroom, however, her heart skipped a beat at the sight before her. She even dropped her bags.

Due to a softly lit lamp and an array of candles, their bedroom was cast in a warm glow and starting from where Emily was standing, there was a trail of pink and red rose petals leading from the doorway to the bed. Atop the bed in the center was JJ. She was in an upright position, dressed in a scant but very alluring purple negligee, and Emily couldn't help it because her mouth dropped open at the sight of her; the more she took in how transparent the garment was (except for her naughty bits) and how JJ's makeup and hair were done to give her the 'bedroom eyes look,' the more Emily felt like her brain was going to melt. JJ's garment even showed off all of her assets, leaving very little to the imagination. And Emily had a very good idea of what JJ looked like without any clothes on.

There was absolutely no question about what she was initiating.

"JJ, _wow!"_ Emily said when she finally remembered how to talk. "You look _amazing!"_

"Thank you." she said and then crooked a finger to her in a 'come hither' fashion. "Please come here, Emily. I want to undress you."

JJ had a very magnetic gaze, as well a hold on Emily's heart, so she was immediately game and obeyed her.

"So this is why you stayed behind?" Emily asked as she sat next to her.

"Mhm."

JJ pulled Emily's shirt off and kissed her way down her throat and across her shoulders, although purposefully stopping just above her ample cleavage.

"Did I do well, pulling the wool over your eyes?"

"Uh-huh." Emily was already getting lost in the moment because her heartbeat had escalated because of her racing hormones; even the baby was already reacting to it. "You did excellently, and I can't wait to see what you're going to do next."

Thrilled to heart that, JJ said, "Please lay back now."

Emily obeyed again and found herself laying flat on her back as JJ kissed her body more, even taking her time on her belly, promising the baby that she would it and the twins a lot of attention in due time. (Now that the babies were big enough to hear their mothers, JJ and Emily took every chance they could to talk to them) When JJ finished there, she eased Emily out of her skirt and stockings.

"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" Emily asked, arching her back at JJ's gentle touches after she tossed her skirt and stockings aside.

"I am." JJ told her as she rubbed Emily's waistline and thighs in a massage as they aired out from being confined in clothes all day. "Emily, I love you with all of my heart and I want to be your wife one day. Tonight is all about repaying every last bit of love and tenderness you've shown me in the past eight weeks. I am finally ready to give myself to you. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Emily nodded, her eyes filling with tears of love. "I love you, and I'm _so_ proud of you."

JJ's heart went light and she smiled lovingly at Emily, wiping her tears with her thumbs. "Don't cry, my love, don't cry. I've got you."

Immediately at peace, Emily willed herself to relax as she suddenly realized that she'd never felt more loved by JJ.

Before long, JJ had Emily out of her underpants and bra, positively quivering in anticipation after she'd covered her in kisses and hit all of her sweet spots. JJ had done just enough to send Emily's pulse completely skyrocketing, but not completely over the edge just yet.

"JJ," Emily pouted as she did her best to recover. "I think that something is missing from this equation."

JJ straddled her, smiling slyly when Emily gasped upon the realization that JJ wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Something like what?" JJ purred.

"I'm naked, and you're not."

"That can be rectified."

Emily watched as JJ rid herself of the negligee and sat before her in all of her glory.

"Is that better?"

Emily nodded. "Much."

"Fantastic."

JJ grinned and lowered herself so that their bodies were touching as much as they could and the long tendrils of her blond hair fell to her shoulders.

"This is round one." JJ whispered. "You ready?"

Emily gave a nod. "Go."

And so JJ went, taking her time and exploring every bit of Emily's body as never before.

All that filled the room were the sighs, moans, and eventual shouts of Emily's approval.

* * *

"I love you." JJ whispered to Emily as she dismounted and cuddled with her for a few minutes. "I love you so much."

"And I love you forever." Emily whispered back, holding her and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

JJ beamed.

The woman beside her was her soulmate, and she had just shown her love in the most romantic, yet intimate way possible and Emily had loved all of it. She didn't know how the night could get any better.

But she found out soon enough.

"JJ," Emily said after they'd finished round two, which she had initiated. "I want to ask you something."

Sated and resting comfortably in her beloved's arms, JJ let out a happy sigh. "What is it?"

"When we're finally settled in our house and Baby Bear, Kitty, and Ladybug have been born, will you marry me? This isn't a proposal, but it is me telling you that I want to be your wife as much as you want to be mine. I promise I'll ask you properly, but only if you want it."

JJ disentangled herself from Emily's arms and straddled her again.

"Yes." she held Emily's face in her hands and kissed her soundly. "Yes, Emilia, I do want to marry you, and I do want you to ask me properly when the time is right."

Emily sat up and hugged JJ, too overwhelmed with love and joy to say anything just yet.

The couple stayed together like that, enjoying the quiet, when suddenly...

 _"Oh!"_

Emily jumped slightly at JJ's exclamation. "What? What is it?"

"I can feel _kicks!"_

Emily's heart turned over and she immediately put her hands to JJ's middle, her face breaking into a delighted grin as she felt a flurry of tiny kicks and nudges.

"Is that _both_ of them?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"Mhm." JJ confirmed, her own grin just as wide. "I guess they were spurred on by what we were doing. What about Baby Bear?"

Emily held one of her hands to her own baby bump and gave a few methodical prods, experimenting before she felt a familiar sensation and burst into joyous tears.

"Baby Bear didn't want to be left out; feel!"

She held JJ's hands over the spot where the baby was the most active and looked at her love in complete adoration.

"Those are kicks, too! Can you feel them?"

"Yes," JJ modded, taking in the joy of the moment and wondering how she could still speak. "And Emilia?"

She looked at her girlfriend, waiting for her to meet her gaze.

"Yes, Jennifer?" Emily queried when she finally looked at her.

"Happy Valentine's Day."


	33. Thirty Two

The next morning was business as usual.

"Good morning, everyone." she said as she handed folders out to them while they took their usual spots at the round table. "Today, we're going somewhere very familiar—New York City, and I will be _fine,_ so don't worry."

She'd added that last part when she got to her spot at the head of the table, by the presentation screen, remote in hand and saw that they were all wincing or showing other various expressions as they remembered what had happened during their last visit there.

Said Hotch, "Okay, JJ, tell us why we're going to NYC again."

"For the past month now, children varying from ages eight to twelve have been disappearing from various neighborhoods in Manhattan, specifically European immigrant communities. They've been vanishing without a trace, but there is clearly at least two people at work, here."

"JJ," Spencer said, looking up from his file folder. "This already sounds like a trafficking case. What makes it a case for us, and not the special victims unit?"

"Because these are the abduction victims." JJ pressed a button on the remote in her hand and a collage of eight children fitting the bracket she'd described appeared on the screen. "Does anybody notice anything about them?"

"They're all girls." Penelope answered, subconsciously rubbing her hands over her baby bump. "That's _extremely_ specific."

"Both statistically and historically, in the trafficking trade, and even in the sex and slave trades, girls and women have always been worth more than men or boys, especially if they're virgins. That's just one facet of why we've been assigned this case."

Across the table, Rossi asked, "What's the other?"

"Like I said, nobody knows where the girls are being taken, but the unsubs are extremely aggressive and violent because for almost every girl taken, they've killed a parental figure of one of the abduction victims. Local authorities are aware of what's going on, though."

Derek, who was clearly thinking about the casualty list, spoke up. "One is an isolated incident, two is a coincidence, and three is a pattern, but JJ, _eight_ people dead? _That_ is a _spree."_

"And," Emily said suddenly. "Listen to the names of the girls here: Tatiana, Nikita, Irina, Oksana, Katija, Rada, Anya, Polina; these are all classic Russian girl names. Has anyone tried asking around Little Odessa, or any other heavily-populated Russian district like that?"

"Yes, but nobody will talk because that's the way the Russian immigrant society is, meaning that for now, the authorities' hands are tied."

JJ turned to Derek.

"And there are actually seven dead family members because the remaining family members from the eighth family have been spared."

Pressing the 'next' button yet again, they were met with a professional portrait of the eighth family: a young woman in her mid-twenties sitting atop a picnic blanket on a grassy lawn. A toddler girl of a about one sat in her lap, and next to them was a young elementary-aged girl. All three of them were in color-coordinated outfits and smiling happily for the camera, laughing, like they were having the time of their lives. They looked so happy and normal.

"That's the eighth abduction victim, Polina Sokoloff." Penelope said, pointing towards the older of the younger girls.

JJ nodded. "Polina lives in the city with her big sister, Sasha, and Sasha's little daughter, Luna. Sasha was born in Moscow, but has been a legal citizen here since she was twelve. Polina and Luna were both born here, though, so that makes them legal citizens by default."

"How old is Polina?"

"Eight."

"What happened to her parents?"

"The father was deported to Moscow a week before Polina was born, and he passed away a few days later from a stroke. The mother became so overwhelmed with grief that she took her own life the same month Sasha turned twenty-one." JJ explained. "Sasha is a single mother, but she has a steady job that allows her to provide for Polina and Luna. She even legally adopted her sister."

Hotch reviewed Polina's file. "And yet nobody knows why the Sokoloffs were spared? This report says that Polina was taken yesterday after school, around three-thirty, but wasn't reported gone until after _six?"_

"Sasha told the authorities that she had to wait because their neighbors were at her place, organizing their own search parties so that the 'wrong people' didn't get involved. She also said that she had to sneak off with Luna to get to the police, otherwise they would've kept an eye on her through the night."

"Does Sasha have proof that Polina was taken by the same people who took the others?"

"Technically, no, but everything else fits perfectly."

JJ turned from Hotch to her fellow blond in the room.

"Penelope?"

"Yes?"

"I will be enlisting Emily's help on this one, but from the reports that were faxed to me, I've gathered that Polina was taken near the school grounds, it was caught on tape. However, I've also heard that the system is in need of some fine-tuning, which, with computers is your speciality; we _really_ need you on this one."

"I am happy to lend my services. What's the name of Polina's elementary school?"

"P.S. 188."

Penelope started. "My youngest stepsister, Estefani, teaches third grade there!"

"All the more reason for you to come. Estefani probably knows Polina."

Hotch cleared his throat, and the immediately gave him their attention.

"When we get to New York, Rossi and I will go to the station to meet the captain and establish a presence, and Morgan and Reid will go to the morgue to get the medical examiner's take. Garcia, Prentiss, and JJ will go to P.S. 188 to establish a presence _there,_ but I trust you all will keep me informed?"

The trio promised they would, although JJ tacked on, "Are we not holding any press conferences right now?"

Hotch nodded. "No need in tipping our hand to the unsubs."

He stood and surveyed his team.

"Everybody get their go bags and head straight to the jet. Wheels up in twenty."


	34. Thirty Three

When the team arrived at the airport, JJ rented cars for all of them, and she, Emily, and Penelope got one to themselves, an event that didn't happen often at all. And although they all knew the streets of New York well by now, Penelope drove them to P.S. 188 because she knew exactly where it was. She also walked them to the front office where they were greeted by a slightly distressed Asian woman dressed professionally, but looking like she was having a very long day. When she saw Penelope, she hurried over to her.

"Penelope!"

The woman in question had never really known a stranger and remembered this woman from when Estefani had introduced them during Penelope's last visit.

"Constance, hello!" Penelope gave her friend a quick hug. "We all came the second we heard about Polina, and the rest of the my team is all spread out, investigating. My colleagues and I here drove directly to P.S.188 from the airport just now."

Constance breathed a sigh of relief, as well as a professional manner as she extended a hand to JJ. "I'm Constance Chong, the principal here. Are you Agent Jareau?"

"Yes, and we spoke on the phone earlier." she replied and then proceeded to indicate Emily as she spoke next. "You clearly know Penelope, but this is my partner SSA Emily Prentiss, and she will be working with me while Penelope goes over the security footage."

"Do you some place quiet we can all go, and maybe talk to Polina's teacher?" Emily asked as she shook hands with their host.

Having noticed the expectant conditions of all three agents, it was a relief when Constance answered, "Yes, we do. Polina's teacher is actually in the conference room in the next hallway, and right next to that is the room where we keep all of the monitors and security hardware. Please follow me."

They did, and all that could heard for a minute or so was the sounds of four different pairs of shoes on the tiled floor, as well as the wheels on Penelope's pink roller bag where she kept her laptop and all its external hardware when she travelled.

They came to a stop in front of a huge pair of oak doors. They were closed, but this was clearly their destination.

Constance turned to her company, addressing them. "Polina is already one of our best and brightest third graders, but her sister is too uncomfortable staying at home without some kind of proper law enforcement, so we told her that she could stay here for awhile. Do you know the story about this family?"

JJ nodded. "We do. Is the baby with Sasha, too?"

"Yes, Luna is here, too, as is Polina's teacher, Estefani Garcia." she turned to Penelope. "I remember that she's your stepsister, but she's up here instead of her classroom because she saw the actual abduction happen, and it's also recess right now. She told me that she wanted to wait here with Sasha until you all came."

The trio of agents nodded in understanding, but especially Penelope, and they followed Constance in through the door and into a rather large conference room. One end of the room looked completely how a conference room should look, while the rest of the room had furniture, bookshelves, and plants that suggested a more casual area.

Against one of the walls by the Windows was a couch and Sasha could be seen on it, stretched out and looking exhausted from all of the crying she'd been doing recently. JJ immediately thought back to when she and Emily had first seen DeLilah at Foxworth Hall in Alabama. Perched upon Sasha's legs because she wanted to be close to her and babbling away about a board book in her hands, was Luna. JJ put her at just over a year old because Sasha didn't seem to be protesting about having the weight of a child on her legs, and while it was clear that Luna knew something was happening, she wasn't old enough to be aware of what it was. Next to them both and looking worse for wear was Estefani.

The young Hispanic woman was also dressed for work, but looking like she'd rather be back in bed. When she saw her favorite sister enter the room, she allowed herself some relief and ran to her, hugging her.

"Oh, Penelope, I'm _so_ relieved to see you; when Constance told me that you and your people would be coming from D.C., I almost lost it right then and there!"

"Stef," Penelope held her sister's face in her hands and carresed her cheeks with her thumbs. "I need you to focus, okay?"

Estefani nodded and lowered her sister's hands. "I can do that."

"Good girl. Is there anyone available to take over your class today?"

"My teaching assistant, Amy Locke. Do you think I need to stay up here?"

"Possibly, but I would like you to have a quick chat with my colleagues first, okay?"

Penelope beckoned to her friends, and as they drew closer to her, she introduced them to her.

"Stef, these are two members of my team, Jennifer Jareau and Emily Prentiss. They're going to ask you a few questions before they talk to Sasha, and I'm going to be next door, looking over the security footage with Constance, alright?"

"Okay."

Penelope gave her sister's hand a comforting squeeze before turning and leaving the room with Constance.

When the door had shut behind them, JJ took the reigns. "Estefani, Constance told us that you're Polina's teacher; how well do you know her?"

 _"Extremely_ well. I've actually know her since she was five."

JJ already had her travel notepad and pen out at the ready, so she could take notes. "Care to elaborate on that?"

"I'm twenty-five now, and I started teaching here when I was twenty-two. Polly was the new kid, and one day, she got separated from her class during a trip to the library and wandered into my classroom during one my prepping periods. I showed her where the library was, and we bonded immediately because she's just so full of joy and curiosity that you definitely want to know her and see what makes her tick. We've been like buddies ever since, and she likes to joke that we were the new kids together. I also taught her last year because I teach a combination of second and third grade."

"That's all really good to know." JJ told her honestly as she jotted the last note.

Nodding in agreement, Emily tacked on, "We know you've already talked to the authorities because you saw the abduction go down, but is there anything that you can remember at the moment?"

"Only that Polly was begging for me and for her family. I'm so ashamed that I couldn't do anything to stop it."

At that, Emily comforted Estefani and proceeded to ask her if she knew what a cognitive interview was.

Deciding that she had everything well in hand, JJ left them and headed over to Sasha.

"Are you Sasha?"

At the mention of her name, Sasha started and straightened up; JJ's inquiry had need in perfect Russian.

In kind, she asked, "You speak my language?"

"Dah." JJ confirmed as she sat with the couch occupants, although she immediately switched over to speaking English again. "I'm Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer Jareau, and over there with Polina's teacher is my partner, SSA Emily Prentiss."

Sasha had relaxed visibily when JJ confirmed that she spoke her native language, or as much as she could, given the circumstances, but JJ took it as a sign that she was comfortable with her, so she waited for Sasha to ask the first question.

"You're here about my sister?"

Despite that Sasha had been in the United States for a number of years now, she still had a very heavy Russian accent, but its heaviness was no different from the heaviness of how her father's had been.

"We are." JJ said gently. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"When I put her on the bus yesterday morning. My sister is a very happy child, in spite of everything that's happened to us because of our mother and father. Do you know that story?"

JJ gave another nod and added in sympathy and understanding, "I know how it feels to tragically lose people that you love. My dad and my sister are both gone."

Hearing that made Sasha trust JJ even more. "Polly is a very sociable person and loves to help the younger children, from what I hear, but she still knows better than to talk to strangers or get into a stranger's car."

"You taught her well." JJ said kindly. "Have you seen the abduction footage yet?"

"No, and I don't think I'd be able to handle it. Estefani also told me I don't need to see it, and I trust her."

"Are you two close?"

"Yes, and I do have friends, but Estefani is my best friend."

"Did you meet because of Polina?"

"We did, and it's okay to call her Polly." Sasha told JJ before her bottom lip wobbled in a dangerous manner and tears formed in her eyes. "The night before she was taken was an extremely happy night, Agent Jareau."

"Will you tell me?"

Sasha was taken aback because she hadn't expected that question at all. "Will it help you with looking for Polly?"

"Yes, it will. We like to find out as much as we can about the person in question, especially when they're a child."

"My boyfriend, Sloan Fitzgerald, he proposed to me and I said yes." (Sasha showed JJ her new engagement ring) "Sloan and I have known each other since middle school and I was the new kid from Russia who didn't speak much English. He would be here with me right now, but he had to work."

"Is he Luna's father?"

"No." Sasha sighed and looked at Luna as she sat in her lap, giving her a kiss on her crown before sitting her down on the floor, whereupon she immediately made a beeline for her toys, a few feet away. "I was assaulted, but that's another story. The most comforting thing is that even after all of that and how the guy made me feel as though I was garbage, Sloan stayed with me and helped me heal. He even loves Luna like his own, and she's never known any different. Sloan has been my heart since we were twelve, but without him, I would have lost my mind a long time ago and still think now that nobody wanted me anymore."

JJ immediately saw the parallels between her story and Sasha's, and in that moment, felt proud of herself that she'd survived her hell, proud of Sasha that she'd survived her own, and proud that she'd recovered enough somewhat to say the next part, especially.

"A similar thing happened to me, amd I would not have made it if not for the love of someone very close to me."

Sasha arched an eyebrow. "Something really happened to you, didn't it?"

"Yes, and," JJ pointed to her belly. "These little ones are proof that love comes in all shapes and sizes, and even when you least expect it."

At the sight of JJ's baby bump, Sasha lit up, although it was just for a second and she leaned back on the couch. Fingers trembling slightly, she framed her middle and JJ saw a medium-sized baby bump that she hadn't noticed before but only because the shirt that Sasha was wearing was a bit baggy.

"We told the girls that they are getting a new family member in four months, and the last thing Polly did before getting on the bus was give kisses to Luna and the baby, telling them that she loved them and that she'd talk to them later."

"So Polly is excited about the baby?"

"I believe the phrase is 'over the moon.' She talked so much after we told them the news that she was on the verge of losing her voice. It might even be gone by now."

The thought of her sister afraid and voiceless in a strange place brought a fresh round of tears to her eyes. That was also the precise moment when her phone rang.

Sasha wiped her tears as she examined the Caller ID, and when she saw who it was, she turned to JJ.

"Sloan is calling, probably to check on me. Will you keep an eye on Luna, please? I'll only be a minute in the hallway."

"Of course." JJ told her. "Go ahead."

When Sasha stepped out into the hallway, Luna abandoned her toys in favor of JJ, standing up and toddling over to her.

"Hi, sweet pea." JJ greeted her. "How are you doing?"

All in a few seconds, Luna giggled cutely, blew JJ a kiss, yawned hugely, and reached for her.

"Up!"

"Okay, sure."

JJ pulled Luna into her lap and gave her a cuddle.

"How's that?"

Luna's only response was to snuggle close and close her eyes—she was out like a light.

As JJ sat with Luna and cuddled her more, the little one shifted slightly—she'd felt JJ's babies move against her, curious about who was getting cozy with them. Luna adjusted herself so that they were all comfortable before sinking into a deeper sleep. JJ's heart melted.

It also made her think about how Sasha had said her fiancé loved Luna, despite the circumstances of her conception, and that it was clear to see how, over a year later, Luna was as happy, loved, and as normal as any other kid. And JJ knew that Emily loved the twins unconditionally, but meeting Sasha and Luna confirmed that with enough time, she'd be able to heal completely. Valentine's Day was just the first milestone to complete recovery.

She couldn't wait for the day when she'd be able to put it all behind her and live as normal a life as possible with Emily and all three of their children.

"Someone likes you."

Sasha had retuned and was actually smiling at the sight before her because it was temporarily lifting the sorrow from her sad heart.

"Luna is just like Polly—very happy and affectionate." Sasha sat back on the couch. "Sloan was checking on me, just like I thought; he's an elevated train driver, but he's at the garage for a few more hours yet, doing housekeeping and things before he goes out on the late shift."

Sasha suddenly realized that she was rambling and turned red as she apologized.

"I'm sorry, Agent Jareau—you must have other things to do besides talk to me. I work in a grocery store and my boss gave me the rest of the week off with paid leave."

Today was Monday.

"Actually, Agent Prentiss and I have been specifically assigned to you so we can get to know as much about your family and Polly as possible." JJ told her. "There is actually one other thing that you could help us with, but not here."

"What is it?"

"Since you haven't gotten anything like a ransom call, would it be possible for Agent Prentiss and I to go to your home to see Polly's room? It would really help us get inside her head."

Sasha hesitated: she knew her neighbors would close ranks on her even more than they already had because she'd gone to outsiders for help, but she also knew that even before Sloan had proposed, they'd already been making plans to get out of the neighborhood for good so the kids could have good lives, away from all of the Old Country traditions.

Her hesitation only lasted for a second, though.

"Sure." she answered. "When do we start?"


	35. Thirty Four

As JJ had suspected even before they'd left Quantico, Sasha and her family lived in the Little Odessa neighborhood of Brighton Beach, an area of New York City that was adjacent to Coney Island and faced the Atlantic Ocean. JJ quite liked the ocean, and sat beside Emily in their SUV while they waited for Sasha to get Luna from her car. She didn't know exactly what Emily was thinking at that moment, but as for herself, she all of a sudden found herself imagining the two of them in a plane together, come summertime, after their wedding, bound for a waterfront honeymoon spot.

"Jayje? You in there?"

The blond snapped out of her dream state and turned to her girlfriend. "Yep."

"What were you thinking?"

"That when we get married, I would like to go somewhere that the ocean is easily accessible."

Emily opened her mouth and then promptly shut it when she realized that she didn't know how to respond. Even though they weren't engaged yet, they still hadn't sat down yet to have a proper conversation about a time of year for their wedding, let alone anything about the honeymoon.

"Cat got your tongue?" JJ teased cheekily.

"I—"

Emily didn't get a chance to answer that because by then Sasha had approached their car with Luna on her hip and beckoned for them to follow her.

Sasha's apartment was a bit small, but very quaint, and it had a style that was both modern and old at the same time. It was as if Sasha had adapted to the changing times over the years, while still honoring her homeland. It made JJ think of how her fathers' parents' house had been.

Used to playing hostess because she entertained her neighbors all the time, Sasha took her guests' coats and hung them up in the front closet. After politely declining anything to drink, Sasha guided them towards the back hall of the apartment, stopping about halfway down and pointing to a white door with a sign bearing the message, _Polina's Room._

"Here you go." Sasha said. "This is my sister's room, and everything is as she last left it, but I shut the door to discourage Luna from wandering in."

JJ and Emily thanked her and then watched her head back down the hallway, Luna toddling along beside her. After JJ and Emily put their latex gloves on, Emily headed into Polly's room first, and when she saw that JJ wasn't beside her, she looked back to see her still in the hallway, massaging her baby bump and talking to it.

"Come on, you guys." she told them. _"Please_ be good right now."

The twins just ignored JJ and kept kicking away.

Sighing, JJ followed Emily into the bedroom and surveyed it to see that it was typical of a happy girl in early elementary school, although they immediately picked up on a theme: everything in the room was Disney princess themed.

"Oh, man." JJ laughed as they looked through Polly's things for a few minutes. "I'm having flashbacks of life with my sister."

Emily smiled in amusement; she remembered very well hers and JJ's brig jaunt to Pennsylvania to see Sandy, and while she'd loved everything about it, she really loved hearing stories about JJ and her sister having fun together.

"Oh? Did you dig princesses?"

JJ blushed as she answered, "This has to stay between us, but I was more into Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony. Rosaline was the one who dug princesses, but sometimes we'd pretend that we _were_ princesses."

"Aww, that's adorab—jeez!"

Emily's words were derailed when she felt a sharp kick in the underside of the middle, so she put down the book she'd been examining and massaged the spot.

"We might just have to call our son Bruiser, instead of Baby Bear, or whatever name we end up giving him."

JJ watched Emily for a moment. The older was as adorable as always, and her wardrobe definitely helped in that area, but today, Emily had changed things up by deciding to wear her hair out of her face, and this allowed JJ to see that Emily had wrinkled her nose as she cradled her middle with one hand and was rubbing it with the other, tying to quell the baby inside.

"Still think it's a boy?"

"Yeah." Emily nodded and let out a puff of air. "Give me a distraction. Please."

JJ beckoned her over to the area of wall next to Polly's closet. "Come look at this."

Emily joined her and found herself looking at an array of beautiful picture frames with even more beautiful pictures inside them. There was a section of wall that were pictures of Polly throughout the years, but it was clear that the rest of the photos were different members of her family.

As far as Emily and JJ were concerned, they'd hit the jackpot.

"Now we're talking." Emily remarked. "We're standing in the room of an eight-year-old girl who loves princesses, and while most of the room is chaos, this is the only part that's compleltey organized."

It was true—as was typical for a girl Polly's age, ever aspect of her bedroom, from her open closet, to the toys that were strewn about the floor to her unmade bed and messy desk, and even from what they could see of her open closet, everything showed off a normal, carefree child.

Yet, these frames were hung symmetrically, were at a level where Polly would be able to look at them without craning her neck too much, and all of the frames looked like they were dusted regularly.

Commented JJ, "Family clearly means everything to Polly. We'll more than likely find the unsub in her inner circle."

Emily shuddered and hoped it wouldn't come to that. "Will you go find Sasha and ask her to help us ID the people in these pictures?"

"Here I am." came a voice.

Sasha had walked up at that particular moment to her sister's bedroom door to check on her visitors. When she saw them, she even considered walking in to see if they needed anything from her.

"I just put Luna down for her nap," she explained. "And I thought I'd come to see if there was anything either of you needed help with."

"Actually, there is." JJ told the young woman, beckoning to her. "We were wondering if you could tell us who everyone in these photographs are."

Sasha nodded in agreement, and after navigating her way across the messy floor and began with the cluster of pictures of Polly over the years, particularly of one of a happy couple in wedding outfits, although it was easy to see that the picture hadn't been taken stateside.

"These are our parents, Nikolai and Svetlana, on their wedding day in Russia. This is Polly's favorite picture of them, so Sloan and I made her a copy of the original for her to have."

"Does Polly remember your mother?" JJ asked curiously.

"Only in bits and pieces. My sister is a very happy child, and only a few things truly anger her—she gets very upset whenever our mother is mentioned because the way she sees it, our mother abandoned us by killing herself."

She sounded resentful, so Emily changed the subject and nodded towards the next picture, which was of a younger Sasha and a newborn Polly. "What's the story here?"

Sasha smiled sadly and found herself subconsciously rubbing her baby bump as she replied, "Once we got word that my father passed away just after getting deported, my mother fell apart and completely rejected Polly altogether. I was only seventeen and working on graduating high school, which I did, but I sacrificed a scholarship to Stanford and went to school here in the city… all for Polly. I even looked into getting a job a week after she was born, and that's how I got the job at the grocery store."

"So you became Polly's mother on Day One, huh?"

"Yes, and it's been a hard road, but I didn't have to think twice because she's my sister. I even gave her her name."

"Oh?"

"Polina is short for Appolinariya, and in English, that would be Apollo. I named her after the Greek god of strength because I wanted her to be strong… and she is."

Sasha fought back the impulse to cry because for the sake of locating her sister, she had to get through the narration as quickly as possible.

"This one," she pointed to a recent snap of Polly holding and kissing a bundled up newborn in her arms. "Is of Polly and Luna at their first meeting. They've loved each other dearly ever since, and Luna often follows her like a duckling."

The next picture was of Sasha and Sloan, happy together. JJ realized they needed to talk to Sloan to at least meet him, but that thought was driven from her mind because of the next picture: it captured an older couple, dressed up to somewhere fancy because he was wearing a tuxedo and she was in a dazzling evening dress. They were both smiling happily for the camera, and JJ had a feeling she knew who they were, but she still posed an inquiry.

"Who are these two?"

"Solan's parents, Atticus and Ingrid. He's a dentist, and she owns a photography studio. They've always liked me, but when they saw my mother wouldn't acknowledge Polly, she helped me immediately; Polly even refers to her as mama, and Ingrid has never minded that." Sasha smiled vaguely. "Ingrid and James even encouraged me to document Polly's and Luna's lives through photos, so we can have happy memories."

"That's actually a really clever idea. Do you think you could give us their contact information before we leave? We want to cover our bases."

"Of course; anything to help my sister." Sasha nodded in understanding and pointed to the next, and final two pictures. "These are all of Sloan's sisters with Polly—they adore her, and she adores them because there has never been a time when she hasn't known them."

Looking back at that photo, JJ found that 'all' was a very accurate descriptor about the women in the picture because by her count, there were five of them, ranging from late teens to late twenties.

With the photo of the family at their summer home, JJ noticed something that spiked not only her curiosity, but her partner's, too.

"Who is this?" Emily pointed to a person amongst the throng of the Fitzgerald-Sokoloff clan she didn't recognize. "He isn't in any of the other pictures here."

Sasha immediately became disdainful, borderline sneering. "That's Jacoby. Every family has a black sheep, and Jacoby is ours."

"Why?"

"He's twenty-one now, but he was released from jail two months ago after getting sent there for getting caught with stolen cash and a stolen car… bastard."

"Jacoby wouldn't hurt Polly, would he?"

"I genuinely don't know how to answer that because he has always been kind to her, but after getting released, he turned to a wild card. I haven't seen him in over a week, and that's a bit unusual because even though I'm four years older than him, we've always been friends."

"How did Polly take it about his arrest?" JJ asked, already realizing that Jacoby was most definitely a person of interest.

"It broke her heart."

"Is that what this is about?" JJ pointed to an empty space in the photo line-up that Sasha had skipped over; a photo had been there once, but wasn't any longer. "His photograph was hanging here, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, and it's a actually picture of him and Sloan together, but it upset Polly so much after the arrest that I took it down and put it away." Sasha jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the hallway. "I have no need for it, but you may have it if it will help."

"It actually will, Sasha. Thank you."

Sasha smiled and for the second time that visit, motioned them for them to follow her out of the room. JJ brought up the rear, closing the door behind them.

A few minutes later, they were leaving Sasha's place, picture in hand, as well as the contact information they'd requested.

Not long after that, they found themselves double-backing to P.S. 188 to collect Penelope because she was done for the day. Even after picking her up and heading to the station-house because everyone else had returned by now to regroup, they were all quiet.

They were now closing in on the end of Day Two of Polly being gone.


	36. Thirty Five

Everyone was well aware of the ticking clock they were fighting against and even when they all regathered at the station-house and reported their findings, not much happened, except for JJ and Emily, along with Derek being told by Hotch to look for Jacoby and talk to him, and also to talk to his parents about the situation because nobody had had a chance to do that yet.

Unfortunately, Jacoby remained in the wind, so they went to the place where Atticus and Ingrid Fitzgerald lived, hoping for more hopeful results. The residence wasn't at all they were expecting.

* * *

 _"Seriously?"_ Derek looked from the address that Penelope had jotted down on the Post-It Note in his hand to the building in his hand. "The elder Fitzgeralds live _here?_ Did Sasha mention this?"

JJ shook her head. "No, but then again, she's known this family since she was twelve and has grown up with them, so she probably doesn't think anything of it by now."

Beside JJ, Emily whined, "I'm _cold,_ and the baby won't stop kicking me! Can we _please_ go in?"

Chuckling, they approached the front entrance of the building, and the doorman immediately opened the door for them.

When they were inside, it took their eyes a moment to adjust, but even still, it took a moment for them to all process what they were looking at.

"So _this_ is The Plaza Hotel." Derek remarked.

Indeed, he and his friends had found themselves in the historic, legendary Plaza Hotel of New York City. For the Fitzgeralds to live here, that immediately suggested money, and lots of it.

Seeing that even Emily was getting lost in the wonder and grandeur, JJ rolled her eyes. "Come on, you two. I'll do the talking."

She led the way to the reception desk, and the woman behind it, young, and looking fresh out of college, gave them a friendly smile as they walked up to her.

"Hello, and welcome to The Plaza Hotel. My name is Alyssa; how may I help you?"

"We are Supervisory Special Agents Jennifer Jareau, Emily Prentiss, and Derek Morgan." JJ said of herself and her companions as they showed her their credentials before pocketing them. "It's of utmost urgency that we talk to Atticus and Ingrid Fitzgerald. Are they home?"

Alyssa opened her mouth and then promptly shut it again. She was a new hire, but was also just about to end her overnight shift. She'd never had the FBI come calling before, and had no idea if there was a contingency plan for it.

Luckily, Alyssa rescued from having to answer because her manager appeared from a room behind the desk and spoke to the visitors.

"Are you the FBI agents?" she asked.

"Yes." JJ nodded and quickly made the introductions again. "Are you the manager?"

The other woman gave a nod. "I'm Amanda Harrison, and I just got a call from Missus Fitzgerald to be expecting you."

Emily grew taken aback. "How did _she_ know?"

"Miss Sokoloff called ahead and told her." Amanda came out from behind the desk and motioned for them to follow her to the elevators. "Come this way."

When they were at the elevators, Amanda pressed the 'up' button on the nearest panel and turned to the JJ and her posse.

"I heard about what happened to Polly." she said softly, looking truly sad. "She visits often and knows a lot of the staff. I wish you the best of luck with finding her."

"Thank you." JJ replied.

At that moment, the elevator door opened, and Amanda gave them some parting words as they boarded. "Press the button marked 'P.' The Fitzgeralds live in the penthouses, and you'll know which is theirs because there is a sign on the door that says their last name on it."

The lift doors closed on the agents' very surprised faces.

* * *

The Fitzgeralds' place was practically a palace, complete with a maid, who, after taking their coats to hang up in the front hall closet, showed them into a sitting room.

"Did either of you profile this?" Derek asked the others quickly.

"The answer is no, same as it was outside, although back at Sasha's place, we saw a picture of a summer home that was grand, but it didn't raise any flags that would have pointed in the direction of The Plaza!"

JJ said all of that very quickly and quietly because she didn't want their hosts to overhear them, and no sooner had she finished than the two people in question entered.

While the Fitzgeralds were both dressed in clothes that looked both casual and expensive, they turned out to be very normal people. After JJ explained what she and the others had come calling about, Ingrid and Atticus were very cooperative.

"This penthouse is mine." Ingrid said by way of explanation, wanting to just get it out of the way. "I inherited it, a fortune, and vast amount of extra money and assets from my grandmother after she passed away when I was twenty-one and engaged to Atticus."

"The rest of the family is very normal on both sides." Atticus added. "We also have a lot of grandchildren because all of our children except for Jacoby have children of their own, and everyone lives in the city. We see Polly and Luna the most because we babysit them when Sasha and Sloan work late, or when Sasha works late and drops them off here for Sloan to look after. Ingrid also likes to borrow Polly and Luna for photography photoshoots because the girls both love it."

"When was the last time you saw Polly?" JJ asked.

"We actually saw both of them the night and day before Sloan proposed to Sasha because they stayed the night."

"Work matters?"

"Yes, and Sasha prefers to have them here overnight because we live close to where she works and she doesn't like to have the girls at her apartment overnight if she isn't there." Atticus told her. "Polly even left a toy here by mistake."

"How long did you have the kids?" Derek wanted to know.

Atticus turned to his wife. "Do you remember? I was at work when they arrived."

Ingrid thought about it before she gave Derek an answer. "Sasha dropped Polly and Luna off at two on Saturday, and we spent the rest of the day in Central Park, doing a photoshoot. We got home just before six, and Atticus came home not long after. We stayed in for the rest of the night, and Sasha collected them at ten on Sunday morning, after she got off work."

JJ spoke to Ingrid. "Missus Fitzgerald, when you and the girls were in the park, did you notice anything or anyone unusual?"

Again, Ingrid thought about it, but this time, she came up short. "No. Everything was perfect and ordinary. I just remember thinking how Jacoby loved the park when he was little. What all did Sasha tell you about him, Agent Jareau?"

"Jail and why he went, his release, and that she really misses him. She also told about how the arrest made Polly devastated."

For good measure, Atticus chimed in, "She wouldn't even go near his room when she and Luna were here."

"When was the last time you saw Jacoby?" Derek asked him.

To that, Atticus didn't say anything, immediately shutting down as a dark, unreadable expression appeared on his face. Feeling saddened for her husband, Ingrid gave his hand a gentle squeeze before she answered the inquiry.

"It's been more than a week now, and we know he has access to his money because we've been monitoring his account and seeing that he's been spending, but we have no real idea where he is." Ingrid explained. "Even though he's turned into a wildcard now, we take some comfort in the fact that he's never been the kind to do drugs or intentionally hurt himself. He's also been very independent for his entire life because he's always been the lone wolf of our family. He knows how to look after himself."

"Has he run off before?"

"He's never been gone this long before, but yes, and he always comes back." Ingrid rubbed her temples, trying to stave off a headache. "He and Sloan still both live here, though, and Sloan has always been a good boy, but Jacoby seems to have just given up. At the moment, we're just waiting for him to come home and figure out why he left in the first place."

Suddenly, Atticus rose to his feet, having had enough and spoke directly to Derek. "Agent Morgan, how about I show you the toy that Polly left here?"

"Alright." Derek stood, too. "Let's go."

When they were gone, Ingrid sighed sadly. "I've given birth to seven children, and we've loved and raised them all. We've also practically fostered Sasha and Polly over the years, making that makes _nine_ babies in total. Polly is a child yet, but the rest of our children except for Jacoby have entered the working world and excelled in their jobs."

JJ massaged the underside of her baby bump as she felt a tiny foot kick her. "And that last part upsets your husband, I take it?"

"For a variety of reasons, but yes."

Wanting to change the tune a little, Ingrid smiled at JJ and Emily as she noticed their baby bellies.

"Are you two married?"

Emily shook her head. "No, but it's definitely in our future. We're expecting three babies between us."

"Then if you haven't learned it yet, you'll learn it when you hold your children for the first time that no matter what happens, you'll do anything for them because they're yours. And yes, my Jacoby has fallen to the wayside, but Atticus is just taking it harder than I am."

Derek returned with Atticus at that point, but everything was finished, so JJ took the reigns again as Derek helped her and Emily up. Reaching into her shirt pocket, JJ extracted her business card and gave it to Ingrid.

"We're going to go now, but you and your husband have both been a huge help. If you need anything, please call me."

When JJ, Emily, and Derek were out in the elevator a few minutes later and heading back down to the first floor, Derek showed them the doll. It was made of cloth and wearing black shoes and a blue and black plaid dress. Its face featured blue eyes, a nose, pink lips, and blond hair. The toy was beautiful and looked like it had seen a lot of love of the years.

JJ examined it and then passed it to Emily, who asked, "What's the story here? It looks handmade."

"It is." Derek confirmed. "Sasha made it for Polly and gave it to her on the day she was born because she was so excited to be a big a sister."

"That's adorable."

"Polly's been sleeping with or near the doll every night since she was born."

"And _that,"_ Emily said, pocketing the doll. "Is even _more_ adorable."

* * *

On the way back to the station-house, Derek noticed that the gas tank in their SUV was nearly on E, and grumbling about how the previous renters of the car had been irresponsible with not filling it up before they'd returned it, he drove them to the nearest gas station and pumped the tank. His bad mood was further sullied when he saw that the pay-at-the-pump feature was out of order and he had to pay inside at the register.

Meanwhile, JJ suddenly realized that she was in great need of having to relieve herself, so she left the car and entered the gas station to see about using the bathroom.

Emily stayed in the car.

Just as JJ exited the bathroom and returned the key to the cashier, sounds rent the air that made her heart stop and everyone else around her hit the deck: Derek's yells, a handful of gunshots, Emily's terrified screams, and the sound of the SUV racing away.

It all happened so fast that JJ didn't even process it until one of the customers, a teenage skater boy came running up to her, tugging on her hand.

"Lady, I saw everything, and I called the ambulance!"

"A-ambulance?"

The boy tugged at her hand again. "Your husband—he was shot!"

JJ knew immediately he meant Derek, but she didn't bother correcting him, instead following him to the throng of people outside to find her friend in the center, laying on the ground with his head propped up on someone's jacket that had been wadded up to make a temporary pillow.

She immediately knelt beside him, using a stack of paper towels from the squeegee station as a tourniquet for the wound he was bleeding from in his shoulder. He was also bleeding from a wound in his forehead that looked like the result of being pistol-whipped. It didn't look as bad as the gunshot wound, but as JJ touched it gingerly, her fingers becoming sticky with her friend's blood, Derek hissed in pain. The sudden change in pressure kept him from slipping into unconsciousness.

"There you are, Derek." JJ breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him look around and register her. "You stay awake, okay? The ambulance will be here soon."

"Need… Penelope…" he rasped.

"I'll call her, don't worry." JJ reassured him. "Who did this to you?"

"J-Jacoby…"

Well, shit. JJ thought. Polly's gone yet, Emily's been abducted, and now Derek was just shot. Can this day get any worse?


	37. Thirty Six

By time the ambulances and police cars had arrived at the gas station, JJ made it clear the proper authorities that she and Derek were FBI agents, relieved that she didn't have to be in charge anymore. She also washed her hands of Derek's blood to the best of her ability before going back inside to make a call that she'd been dreading.

* * *

Hotch picked up immediately. "JJ, where are you, Prentiss, and Morgan?"

"Hotch, are you sitting down?"

There was a pause, and then, "Yes."

"Jacoby Fitzgerald somehow found us and followed us to a gas station on Broadway…"

"Come on, JJ—stay with me." Hotch coached from his end of the line as he became acutely aware of Penelope, Spencer, and Rossi suddenly watching him. "What is it?"

"Jacoby pistol-whipped Derek in the head and shot him in the shoulder, after which he stole our car, kidnapping Emily in the process."

To Hotch's credit, he didn't immediately panic. "I see. We'll come to you now; can you give me any more specifics about where you are?"

JJ just laughed nervously and began to fan herself because she was beginning to feel ill. "No—I'm just trying not to lose it. I need… to sit down… I feel sick… Gotta… hang up now…"

Her words were beginning to slur because she could feel herself slipping into shock, and she needed to focus more on herself and her children. She desperately needed help.

"No, Jennifer, don't hang u—"

JJ ignored him and hung up her phone, pocketing it.

She was _definitely_ going to faint now, but it was just a matter of when.

"Agent Jareau?"

"Hmm?"

JJ saw one of the paramedics approaching her, but that was the last thing she remembered before finally shutting down and fainting. Her day had just gotten longer.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, JJ was at the hospital she'd been taken to after the kidnapping drama with Baylor. By the time she was dressed in a hospital gown, hooked up to all of the proper oxygen tubes, and wires and monitors, she also had to be sedated because she had a panic attack when she remembered what had happened to Derek and Emily.

When she came to, she wasn't alone.

"Oh, JJ—I'm so glad you're awake! You gave us all a scare!"

Still adjusting to her new surroundings, JJ was more than a little thrown because the voice she heard wasn't one that she'd been expecting.

"Spence?"

"Uh-huh." the young man eagerly confirmed as he hurried over and helped her sit up so she could have a drink of water. "I came in as soon as I could."

When JJ gave him back the cup, Spencer set it aside and pulled a chair up to her bed.

"What do you want to know?" he asked as he sat down.

JJ gave her bump a rub as she felt the middle area of her body get parried and thrusted upon by two different pairs of hands and feet. "I would ask how the twins are, but they're both wide awake and letting me know it."

"From what I understand, there was an ultrasound performed on you during the ambulance ride while you weren't 'all with it,' but everything checks out fine." (JJ breathed a sigh of relief) "The gender of your kids was also revealed."

"Wait." JJ held her hands in the 'time out' position. "How do you know these things?"

Sheepishly, Spencer said, "I may have lied and told them I'm your brother?"

"Lucky you, you're the little brother I never got but always wanted, so in this case, I don't mind."

Spencer breathed his own sigh of relief. "Would you like to know what you're having? The doctor only told me, and I haven't told anyone."

Both touch and impressed Spencer hadn't told, JJ nodded. "Please tell me."

"Congratulations—you're having two little girls."

JJ's heart filled first with joy because two little girls were exactly what she'd been hoping for, and then sorrow that her love wasn't there to partake in the joy with her.

All of the emotion made her cry, but Spencer sat beside her, holding out a tissue box and waiting patiently for her to cry herself out.

When she did, there was a few moments of silence before JJ suddenly dropped the tissues and gave a wince, pointing to the left side of her middle.

"Whichever baby princess is here, she just gave me a _huge_ kick because she doesn't like the quiet; she says, "Keep talking, Uncle Spencer!" And please do—talk to me about Emily and Derek."

"The SUV that Jacoby took Emily in had a GPS feature, but it was destroyed before Garcia was able to track it completely."

JJ gave a sigh of dejection. "Emily is clever enough to talk her way out of an immediate situation that could cause immediate harm, but what do you think—is Jacoby taking her to wherever Polly and the other missing little girls are?"

"He has to be, and he probably took Emily as a warning, or something. Does Emily know Russian?"

"That's my department," she sighed. "So I really hope that if she can't get around the language barrier with her wit and charm, that Polly or one of the girls will help her."

"That's what I've been thinking, too."

JJ did her best to change positions in the bed; her children were squirmy and they didn't appreciate it when she was horizontal and not asleep.

"How is Derek?" she wanted to know as she smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle in her gown.

"Still in surgery, and Penelope is the waiting room, knitting up a storm."

"She's probably thinking about when she was the one in the OR after her own gun shot. It still hasn't been a year yet."

Spencer nodded. "Hotch and Rossi are with her, and so is her stepbrother, Juan Carlos, and his wife, Chloe."

"Because they're local," JJ recalled. "And Estefani lives with them. I can't say I blame Penelope for wanting her family near, like how all of us were with mine in Alabama."

"If you're still here later, I bet Estefani will show up, just to check on you."

"Did Penelope say that?"

Spencer gave another nod. "Yes."

"Do you think she'll come see me?"

"Oh, absolutely, but you need to have a check-up first." Spencer pressed the 'call nurse' button on JJ's bedside table. "I was told to tell you that that's non-negotiable."

Sighing, JJ held a hand out to Spencer. Around her left wrist was a plastic ID bracelet, and affixed to one of her pointer fingers was a plastic clamp that was hooked up to yet another wire that was measuring something else, but she didn't have the energy to figure out what it was right at that moment. Some of JJ's fingers were even smudged with mascara from she'd been rubbing at her eyes when she'd been crying earlier. She was a literal mess, but she needed support, so she reached out. And to the one person who had never been that big on physical contact.

"Then just be my baby brother for awhile and hold my hand. Please?"

Spencer gave her his hand immediately, as well as a warm smile. "Of course, JJ. I'd do anything for you."

And just like that, JJ's woes lessened.

* * *

Poor Emily was having a harder time of things.

By the time Jacoby brought them to their destination, a back alley behind what had once been a hardware store, she had no idea where they were. She had no choice but to trust Jacoby as he frogmarched her across the cold, slightly icy ground, inside the building and even down a flight of steps that led to a hallway with a door at the end.

"What's going on?" Emily demanded as they stopped in front of the door. _"Please_ don't hurt me—I'm pregnant!"

 _"I_ won't hurt you because hurting preggos isn't cool, but I can't say the same for the others."

A wave of panic flooded through Emily's body at that last part, and in response, the baby kicked hard. Yanking herself out of Jacoby's grasp, she massaged her middle and made soothing noises to her offspring as she gazed at the bump it lay tucked inside.

"There better not be anything wrong." Jacoby warned.

Emily held her hands in the small of her back to offset the baby weight as she looked at her captor. "The baby is nervous because I am, and we're both hungry."

Jacoby didn't answer, instead unlocking the padlock on the door. "Do you speak Russian?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you speak Russian?" Jacoby repeated, as if talking to a slow person.

Emily shook her head. "No."

"Then good luck with keeping them from finishing each other off."

Emily started to ask what he meant, but before she could finish the question, Jacoby had locked her in the basement and was gone again. When her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she found that while the immediate area she was in was a play area, there was a sleeping area a bit further back filled with a variety of mismatched beds, including a few bunk beds, a trundle bed, and even an extra-large adult-sized bed. Just to the right of that, Emily spotted a bathroom, and she immediately realized that this was where the they that Jacoby has mentioned had gone to because she could hear small quiet movements, as though the occupants were doing everything not to be discovered.

Remembering the doll the Fitzgeralds had given them back at their place, Emily extracted it from her jacket pocket before casting her jacket on a nearby shelf and walking forward.

"Hello?" she called out. "I work with the FBI, and I won't hurt you; I'm stuck down here, too."

One by one, the occupants all filed out of the bathroom, arranging themselves before her. Emily felt her heart jump, though, because she recognized them as the missing children whose pictures she'd first seen in Quantico.

"My name is Emily," she said, pointing to herself before pointing to her swollen middle. "And this is my baby, but he doesn't have a name yet."

The girls all stared at her blankly, but behaving as a collective, they all took a step backwards.

"Who speaks English?" Emily asked cautiously.

The older girl spoke, and a lilting Russian accent could be heard. "We all do, but you said you're FBI, yes?"

"Mhm, and my team is helping to look for all of you—and now me, I suppose. I know all of your names, even."

"Prove it."

"Well, _you're_ Tatiana, and I know you're only _twelve."_ Emily said before moving down the line, pointing to each girl as she went. "After that it goes Nikita, Irina, Oksana, Katija, Rada, Anya… wait, where's Polly?"

A lightbulb went off over Anya's head and she pointed to the bathroom. "So _that's_ her name! She's over there, the _biter!"_

Immediately peeved, Rada slapped Anya before Emily could stop her.

"I _told_ you _not_ to call her that!"

Tatiana intervened, wrenching them apart as she scolded, "And _I_ told _both_ of you to keep your hands and feet to yourselves _and_ to _not_ pick on Polly!"

"But if we're marked up, then they won't sell us!" Rada pointed out.

Tatiana shot daggers with her eyes at Rada, and realizing that she'd said too much, she let Tatiana herd her and the others towards the other side of the room.

"Polly?" Emily called. "My name is Emily, and I'm a friend. Will you come out and talk to me?"

Polly didn't move, but after a moment, she croaked, "No."

"I know you've got two full names; do you prefer Polina or Apollinariya?"

Polly finally appeared in the doorway, and Emily's heart bottomed out. There was no question that the little girl was beautiful, but she had also taken a recent beating. A fading hand shaped bruise on her fact was proof.

"I like Apollinariya, but you can call me Polly." she told Emily. "Do you have a _realer_ name?"

"My parents named me Emelia."

"That's _really_ beautiful!" Polly gushed, light coming back to her eyes. "Do you like Emelia more?"

"Yes, but everyone calls me Emily, so that's the name I answer to the most."

Polly took another step forward and pointed at Emily's belly. "I heard you say there's a baby in there."

"Mhm."

Emily reached for Polly's hand, beckoning to her. When she was within reach, Emily placed Polly's hand over a spot where she was feeling a flurry of kicks. Polly registered what she was feeling and gave the bump a rub.

"My sister's baby kicks me."

Emily stroked Polly's hair with her free hand. "You know, kid, I met Sasha today. Luna, too."

Polly's bottom trembled. "What about Sloan?"

"I didn't get a chance, but two of my friends and I, we also met his parents, and they gave us this."

Emily held Polly's toy and when the little girl saw her most prized toy, she burst into tears and hugged it and Emily close.

"Thank you, my Emelia! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Apollinariya," was all Emily could say as she stroked the little girl's hair again and glanced over at the others, who were still keeping their distance, leery of her only because Tatiana was.

Emily just hoped that they were found soon.


	38. Thirty Seven

"Was Emily this nervous when I was gone?"

"Oh, most definitely."

"And you guys are still searching for her, Polly, and the others, right?"

"We haven't stopped. Right now, we're hoping for something like a Hail Mary."

 _"How_ much longer before I can be discharged?"

"Less than an hour, kiddo. Hang in there."

"I'm doing my best."

JJ had been at the hospital for hours now, and she was quite restless.

On one hand, she knew that Derek was out of surgery and in recovery, so that was a wonderful development, but on the other hand, after JJ had a quick visit from Penelope's stepbrother and his wife, there was a powwow around her bed with Spencer, Hotch, Rossi, and Penelope to look back into the case.

It turned out that besides knitting, Penelope had done some 'exploratory hacking,' as she liked to put it, and she uncovered a treasure trove of information after getting past a few firewalls. Jacoby Fitzgerald had run with a bad crowd for quite awhile, namely the gamblers and traffickers of the Russian mob. Despite his time in jail, though, he still had some serious debts to pay off, and until he did, they owned him.

The trouble was that Jacoby _enjoyed_ it all and now happily ran with the gamblers and traffickers. While it was clear now who he was working with and who had been staying with since leaving his parents' home, and it was also clear that his comrades were the ones doing the killing that had happened before the BAU's arrival, but the thing that was the most clear was that Jacoby's shooting Derek and taking Emily was his initiation into the mob.

JJ wished that the Hail Mary would show up soon.

Mostly to get Penelope out of the hospital out of the hospital, everyone but Rossi went back to the station-house. Rossi stayed to look after JJ and also to wait for Derek to wake up from the painkillers drugs he'd been put on after the surgery ended.

JJ was happy to have Rossi's company, especially because both of her daughters were wide awake and kicking her, like they were angry she was confined to her bed.

At least JJ's companion kept her sane.

"Rossi, can I tell you a secret?" JJ asked suddenly.

"Sure. I won't tell anyone."

"I only just found out today that I'm growing two daughters in there," she pointed to her big middle, which remained hooked up a number of monitors. "And I'm _thrilled_ because for as long as I've known that there were twins, I was hoping for girls, but the _secret_ is that I've also been thinking of names for them and I have a list that I really like."

"Already?"

JJ nodded in confirmation. "Do you think that's odd?"

"Not at all. Do you want to share?"

"Sophia, Olivia, Alexis, Naomi, and Isobel are my top five."

Rossi smiled. "Those are all great names, all very beautiful."

JJ beamed. "Are there are any that you like?"

"Olivia and Alexis are the ones that I like, but that's just me."

"I—"

 _KNOCK KNOCK!_

Before JJ could say anything, though, they were interrupted by a knock on the doorframe.

"Agent Jareau?"

She turned at the sound of her name and a saw a young man a few years younger than herself, dressed in a work jumpsuit of some kind and looking slightly nervous. Beside him, though, was Sasha, and she was carrying a gift bag with the logo of the hospital on it.

"You must be Sloan Fitzgerald." JJ greeted the jumpsuited man. "Hello."

Realizing that JJ could handle on her own whatever it was that was unfolding, Rossi stood and turned to her. "I'll come back in awhile, kiddo. I'm going to go find something to eat and sit with Derek."

JJ didn't object to Rossi's departure and saw him off before beckoning her guests closer.

"To what do I owe this visit?" she asked as they sat in the chairs by her bed.

Sasha leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was, he allowed himself to relax a little bit as he spoke to JJ.

"Right." he laughed nervously. "I just got off work, and when I called Sasha, she gave me an update and we decided to come find you."

"How did you know I was here?"

"Sasha called your phone, and an agent named Rossi answered it and told us you were here. Was that him who left, just now?"

JJ nodded. "Mhm."

"I also felt like I should at least make myself known to one of the FBI agents that visited my family, so you know I don't have anything to hide. I've known Polly for her entire life and helped Sasha raise her; I love her as much as I love Luna and the baby."

When JJ had heard the others talking about Sloan earlier, she hadn't doubted that he was a good man, or even how much he loved his family, but now that he was in the room with her, talking to her, she _really_ didn't doubt him.

"Thank you, Sloan. Is there anything else?"

He became squirrelly again. "I'm also really, really sorry that you ended up here, and that Jacoby shot your partner and took your other one—when we got here, we ran into your team leader in the waiting room and he told us all that happened after he overheard us tell a nurse that we were looking for you."

JJ nodded in understanding and then thanked him before adding, "Your apology isn't necessary, though—nothing that Jacoby did is your fault."

"Well, of the nine children my parents have raised or fostered over the years, Jacoby and I are the only boys, and I'm the oldest brother as it is; I've been cleaning up his messes and apologizing for him since we were kids."

"Then do you know who Jacoby would run with?" JJ looked from Sloan to Sasha. "Either of you?"

"No." Sasha said shortly, shaking her head. "I'll always be concerned about him because he is my family, but our friendship is over now, for good, because I'll never be able to forgive him for this—I just _know_ he's got something to do with taking Polly."

Sloan kissed his fiancée on the cheek in reassurance before giving JJ his own answer. "I wouldn't begin to know who he'd run with now because he's been so secretive since getting out of jail and running off, but he'd always had a predilection for abandoned places, and I've always been able to find him in Hell's Kitchen or Chelsea on other occasions."

"He's also been a bookworm forever, too," Sasha suddenly remembered. "So maybe odd places by bookstores or other places to do with books? Perhaps try that avenue?"

And there's our Hail Mary, JJ thought.

"Thanks, you guys." JJ told them. "That's actually really helpful."

Sloan looked particularly pleased with himself, but the moment was ruined when his phone rang, so he stepped out in the hallway to answer it, leaving Sasha with JJ for a few minutes.

The younger woman made to something to JJ, but instead let out a soft moan and massaged a certain spot on her distended middle.

"Be still, baby boy." she said softly. _"Please?"_

"You're having a son?" JJ asked interestedly.

Sasha smiled at her and nodded. "We are. Do you know what you and Agent Prentiss are expecting?"

"Neither of us know what _she's_ expecting, but I know now that my identical twins are identical girls."

"Baby girls are wonderful." Sasha rubbed her bump fondly before an idea popped into her head and she presented JJ with the gift bag. "This is for you."

JJ accepted the bag but said, "Sasha, thank you, but you didn't have to."

"Sloan and I _wanted_ to, and we both felt that you could use a smile right now."

Intrigued now, JJ opened the bag and pulled out three baby-friendly stuffed animals—a zebra, an elephant, and a lion.

JJ felt her heart fill with love, and she actually smiled as she hugged all three of the toys close, wishing that Emily could have been there.

"Thank you, Sasha." JJ told the young woman. "This was very sweet of you and Sloan to do, and none of the babies actually have toys yet."

Sasha smiled, glad she could make someone happy, despite her heartache. "You're quite welcome."

JJ gave the toys another hug and looked Sasha square in the eyes. "Is it alright if I ask you something personal?"

"Yes."

"You said that you became pregnant with Luna because you were assaulted?"

Sasha shivered, but nodded. "Yes, and he was a stranger. Is this what happened to you?"

"Yes, and too many times, but he wasn't a stranger." JJ said softly. "He's dead now and I'm healing, and I'm as hopelessly in love with my daughters as you are with Luna, but..."

JJ's words faltered, but Sasha still understood.

"You want to know if it gets better."

JJ nodded. "Yeah, exactly."

"It _does_ get better with time, but on the hard days, you pick yourself up and remember that it isn't the end of the world because the people in your life who really, _truly_ love you, will be standing right beside you the whole time. Plus," she gave JJ a friendly wink. "When you _do_ reach the finish line, there's a brand new person—or in your case, two—in your life that will think the world of you and love you unconditionally. Being a mother is the best feeling and experience a woman can have."

JJ was in awe, feeling the deepens of the moment, and all she could manage was, "Wow."

"Does that help?"

"Yes," JJ said when she remembered how to have a normal conversation.

"It really does. Thanks."

"Any time, Agent Jareau."

Before JJ could say anything in response to that, Sloan came back in to the room, speaking to Sasha as her pulled her to her feet.

"My mom just called, zvezda moya," (JJ smiled as she watched the couple—Sloan had just called Sasha his star) "Because Luna is being positively nightmarish."

Sasha checked the time on the nearby wall clock. "Well, it's getting close to her nap time. Let's go, hm?"

Sloan held Sasha's hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "Let's."

The couple bid farewell to JJ, and when she was alone, she gave the toys another cuddle before picking up her hospital phone and dialing a familiar number.

"Hotchner." said a familiar voice in her ear.

"Hotch, it's JJ. I was just visited by Sloan Fitzgerald and Sasha Sokoloff, and I think we've got a Hail Mary where Emily, Polly, and the others are..."

* * *

A few hours later, however, Emily was not having too good a night. The Hail Mary gave the team a very excellent direction in which to go, and once JJ was released from the hospital and looking decent, she led a press conference to appeal for anyone could have possibly seen Emily or Jacoby. During the conference, JJ identified Emily as an FBI agent, and unfortunately, Jacoby's cohorts got wind of that and freaked out. It also made Emily's night go from bad to worse.

Paranoid that Emily knew something about their operation (because in addition to the children, they also had a number of weapons and even drugs), they interrogated her at length. Emily being Emily, she had a surprising amount of endurance and she didn't tell them anything crucial about JJ and the others.

The real trouble was when they turned her into a punching bag and changed languages.

"I _told_ you that I don't understand Russian!" Emily cried after awhile, holding up her hands in surrender while simultaneously trying to protect herself. _"Please_ don't touch me!"

In pure desperation, she turned to Jacoby, who had been standing off to the side this whole time. Emily's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Why won't you make them _stop?"_

"To do that, I'd have to physically intervene, and look at them compared to me—they'd accidentally snap me in half without thanking twice, Agent Prentiss. I'd like to live, thank you."

Physically, while Jacoby was at an average height for a young man, despite his time in jail and the access he'd had to work out equipment, he remained on the scrawny side, whereas the people he worked with were all very large and muscular.

Emily was afraid for her life, as well as her child's, and as much of a bastard that Jacoby was, she couldn't blame him for wanting to stay alive. She just wished he'd help somehow.

But no... he actually left the room and Emily's heart sank.

A smack on the cheek led Emily back to her senses, although she immediately sat in a nearby chair and sat blinking in pain as her eyes watered. At the same time, Emily felt the baby start kicking like mad, so with one hand on the stinging side of her face, she used her other hand to rub her middle, wanting the baby to know that the world wasn't over and that the sky wasn't falling.

She gave her best death glare to her captors, though, especially the man directly in front of her. His name was Boris.

"What the _hell_ is _wrong_ with you—hitting a _pregnant_ woman? Didn't anyone tell you that expectant mothers are off limits?"

Boris just shrugged his shoulders as he answered in English, "Maybe, maybe not—I forget. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I think it's a boy."

Just like that, Boris' companions immediately stood down and Boris himself changed tunes, helping Emily to her feet.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" (he gave Emily a smile that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up) "If there's any chance of you thinking it's a boy, then we won't touch you anymore."

Genuinely confused, Emily queried, "I beg your pardon?"

"If it's a boy, then you can keep him, but if it's a girl, you have to give her away."

Emily's heart sank even lower. "But you're talking like you're going to keep _me!"_

"You are as clever as I thought."

Boris' praise made Emily want to cry, and she was most certainly speechless: she was finally beginning to really understand how JJ had felt during her own kidnapping. Every that had just happened was filling Emily's heart with fear because Boris appeared to be dead serious about keeping her, and she had a feeling that he would want her as a wife and/or as a baby factory. He would also no doubt keep her as a punching bag.

Emily hadn't been this worried for her future or her life in a very long time, and she also had the baby in her belly to think of, too.

This was the kind of terrible fear that JJ had had to deal with.

One of Boris' cronies, a particularly muscular guy by the name of Dmitri, led Emily back down to the basement room where Polly and the girls were. Just before he unlocked the door, though, he put a hand on Emily's arm.

Upset and in pain, Emily snarled, "You take your hand _off_ me."

Dmitri adapted an oily tone. "Why? What boss won't know won't hurt him; I could take you somewhere and make you happy."

Realizing that he was making advances on her and trying to seduce her, Emily stood her ground. "First of all, I'm spoken for, and second, I have a life to get back to that I am very happy with."

"I could change your mind."

"Fat chance." Emily retorted. "I have _zero_ attraction to men."

Dmitri's eyes widened when he realized what she meant, and in spite of what Boris had said, she slapped her.

"You're a _whore!"_ he cried in disgust.

"No—I am a mother, a friend, a lover, and an FBI agent." Emily purposefully spat in Dmitri's face. "My people _will_ find me, just you wait."

Dmitri wiped the spit from his face and seethed, "You _are_ what I _say_ you are, and that is a _whore!"_

And without breaking eye contact, Emily promptly kicked him in the groin.

Deciding to draw the line so that he could actually walk away, Dmitri locked Emily back in the basement and headed back to the others.

As Emily adjusted to her new surroundings and the lighting, she found herself looking at a gaggle of scared girls.

Tatiana spoke first, looking like she was about to cry. "Why did they hurt you?"

"They found out that I'm one of the good guys and that my friends are searching for all of us yet."

The quietest and shyest of the group, Oksana spoke next. "We all decided that we'll be _good_ now and not pick fights, _especially_ with Polly."

"Thank you, baby girl." Emily told her gratefully. "That's a big, big help."

Unsettled to see her friend so upset, Polly pushed her way forward and took Emily by the hand.

"My Emelia, do you want to cuddle now? Sasha and Sloan always cheer me up with cuddles."

"That sounds perfect, Appolinariya. Thank you."

A few moments later, Emily and Polly were laying on the biggest bed, cuddling together. Polly even giggled occasionally when she felt the baby kick her.

Not wanting to be left out, Tatiana, Oksana, Rada, Nikita, Irina, Katija, and Anya also crowded onto the bed, if not to cuddle with Emily and Polly, then at least so they could all be with each other as they waited for help to come.


	39. Thirty Eight

Jacoby Fitzgerald had always been clever, and in spite of his recent reckless ways, he still knew that sooner or later, he was going to get caught for what he had been doing. That being said, he also knew that _when_ he got caught, it would more than likely be with Boris and the others, and unlike Jacoby, they would rather go out via suicide by cop. Jacoby was not about that. He would rather go to jail for life before being shot to death by a cop.

So... after a difficult night of sleeping, he finally made up his mind about what he was going to do.

* * *

The next morning found Derek released from the hospital with his arm in a sling and sitting in one of the chairs at the main table in the conference room at the station-house that the BAU had been using since their arrival. For obvious reasons, he wouldn't being doing any fieldwork for awhile, but he was happy to contribute to helping narrow down the field to the most probable areas that Jacoby had to have hidden Emily and the girls.

JJ was in a chair beside him, also aiding in the effort. She didn't have orders that weren't exceedingly strict like Derek's, but she agreed to Hotch's request to stick to the station-house for the day. She didn't mind. Though JJ was an FBI agent like her colleagues, she wasn't a profiler and had had enough excitement in the field for awhile. The office was more her speed.

"Excuse me, agents."

JJ, Derek, Penelope, Rossi, Spencer and Hotch each looked up to see the head of the precinct, a Captain Bartoli, standing just inside the door.

Hotch stood first. "Yes, Captain Bartoli?"

"Jacoby Fitzgerald has just turned himself in."

JJ and her companions all experienced a sudden record scratch moment and turned to Hotch, wanting to know what he was going to say. Agent Hotchner was taken aback by the sudden development, but he kept his cool.

"He turned himself in?" he echoed. _"Voluntarily?"_

Captain Bartoli nodded. "Yes, and he's willing to talk, but on two conditions."

"He's hardly in a position to bargain!" Spencer blurted.

"That may be true," Hotch agreed. "But _something_ prompted this change of heart, Reid, so whatever Jacoby's conditions are, they probably aren't outrageous at all."

Spencer didn't see a flaw in Hotch's reasoning, so he just nodded and watched his boss pose a new query to the captain.

"What does Jacoby want?"

"The first condition is that he'll do jail time for any long length of time, but not for life."

"Well, that's for the lawyers to decide, but it doesn't sound unreasonable because of how cooperative he's being. What's the second condition?"

"He won't speak to anyone but Agent Jareau."

"No." Hotch said immediately. "We'll figure something else out."

Using help from Spencer because he was the nearest to her, JJ stood and marched over to Hotch.

"This could be our only real chance before something happens, like Emily and the girls getting split up, or God forbid, _sold!_ Are you _really_ going to risk that, especially when there's a _lot_ of ground to cover in the 'places they could be' category?"

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "JJ, I'd like to think that I shouldn't have to remind you why this is a bad idea where you are concerned."

JJ put her hands to her middle, where she could feel her daughters kicking and nudging her. "We're all fine, and I'll even take someone with me."

"Jacoby sounds pretty firm about the 'only you' part."

"I can make him focus on me, and we both know it."

Small and petite though JJ stood, even without taking things to a sexual aspect, she really could make people stop and listen to her. It had a lot to do with her calming voice and magnetic gaze. That, coupled with her being a crackshot with guns, made her a force to be reckoned with.

She was also not a person to have a battle of the wills with.

Hotch remembered this he caved and sighed as he turned back to Bartoli. "Is Jacoby cuffed to the table?"

"Yes. He even agreed to that."

Hotch eyed JJ again. "We will be watching from the other side of the glass, but go ahead and pick your person."

"Dave. I pick Dave."

It was Derek who was usually JJ's go-to backup muscle, but in this case, Rossi was her best bet because of his older, fatherlike appearance. He was very gentle most of the time, but when it came down to it, he could get even the scariest of unsubs freaked out without breaking a sweat. Getting Jacoby to talk was going to be a piece of cake.

This proved to be the case when they entered the interrogation room because Jacoby was immediately derailed when he saw Rossi.

"Hey!" he protested to JJ. "Who's the old guy?"

"Who? Agent Rossi?" JJ asked causally as the man in question stood next to the door and watched them, pretending to look only mildly interested. "He's my colleague, and he's going to be hanging out while you and I chat."

"But..."

Jacoby was going to further his protesting, but then his eyes fell on JJ as she walked towards him, but more specifically, on her big middle.

"You're pregnant." he said blankly.

"Yes, I am." JJ made a show of easing herself into the chair on the other side of the table. "Is that a dealbreaker?"

Jacoby shook his head, but remembering Emily getting smacked around, he was even more ready to cooperate. "N-no, but that must mean you've got some kind of special connection with Agent Prentiss."

JJ leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Talk to me about her and the others."

"Will I get the other half of my deal?"

"Start talking. Now."

Jacoby William Fitzgerald sang like a canary.

* * *

Like Sloan and Sasha had suggested, the abandoned hardware store was in Hell's Kitchen, and even on the same block as a library. In a show of good faith, Jacoby even had on him all the keys to their hideout that went to the locks on all of the storage spaces and other cupboards were all of the drugs and guns were being kept. JJ realized that Jacoby could have been lying about all of it, including his claim that the locks that the keys went to were each locked, but she took him at his word and took notes on everything he told her.

The next hoop to jump through, however, was getting Emily and the girls out of the basement.

The solution for that was Hotch leading a charge with Rossi, Spencer, Captain Bartoli, and her best detectives. JJ and the others waited from the safety of the mobile command center parked near the hardware store.

Of course, Boris and his cronies realized that they'd been sold out by Jacoby, but they went nuts when they found out that he'd locked up all of their assets.

They took their anger out on Emily, despite their promise not to touch her anymore, and before long, she was even more pain, bleeding from a cut on her cheek and pleading for her own life, as well as the life of the child in her womb and those of the scared children in the basement who she now knew she'd move mountains for.

Emily was perilously close to breaking—she had already been crying off and on for hours and had even accepted that she'd be needing her own rehabilitation after this—but the thought of seeing JJ again, and also feeling the twins kick, turn, and stretch under her touch as they liked to kept her from falling apart altogether.

Then the rescue happened, although it sounded more like an invasion at first.

* * *

"Quick, babies—hide in here!"

Emily held open the bathroom door as loud voices and gunfire could be heard overhead. The girls had all the trust in the world in their new friend and that she would keep on protecting them, so they all hurried in. Emily closed the door behind the last person and sat on the floor, leaning her back against the wall behind her. Despite her battered body and expectant condition, she was still an FBI agent and protecting innocent people, no matter their age, was part of the job.

"Emily," Rada clamored. "What about you?"

"There isn't any room for me."

The bathroom was a tight fit, as it was, and if she wasn't pregnant, she would have been able to squeeze in, but only just.

"Emelia, I'm scared; I accidentally wet myself and Anya!" Polly squeaked suddenly. "I'm _really_ sorry!"

"There isn't anything to be sorry for." Emily told her. "Is anyone holding you?"

"I am." Tatiana called.

"Good. That's good." Emily told her, her heart quickening and her baby kicking away as she heard the noise upstairs come to an abrupt halt, followed by heavy-sounding footsteps coming down the stairs. "I need all of you to be _so_ quiet—like mice—until I say so, and remember that no matter what, I love all of you very much."

They all agreed and fell quiet as Emily began to hope and pray that they weren't about to meet a certain doom.

But they weren't.

"Emily?"

It was Rossi; he was at the door. "In here!"

"Hang on!" he called. "I'm here with Hotch and Reid, and they're undoing this lock with bolt cutters!"

Emily suddenly became aware of how beaten and bruised she was, and that her clothes were even torn in some places, but she didn't care because help was just on the other side of that door.

Next thing she knew, the lock was off the door and her friends were walking towards her, each happy to see her, but nonetheless cautious.

Rossi reached her first and when he saw that she was afraid and shivering, he took off his jacket and offered it to her. Even though Rossi was being kind, Emily flinched badly.

"Would you like to warm up, Emily?"

She nodded and as he helped her put the garment on, she said, "Sorry I jumped."

"You don't have to apologize for anything because you've been through quite an ordeal."

Hotch squatted beside them as Emily leaned against Rossi for support.

"Emily," he said gently. "You hid the kids behind that door, didn't you?"

She nodded. "I had to protect them, just in case things went worse. What happened?"

Spencer knelt beside Hotch. "They've all been arrested, and they're never, _ever_ getting out of jail now. How about you talk to the girls for a second so I don't freak them out when I open the door?"

Agreeing that this was a good idea, Emily reached over and knocked gently on the door. "Everything is good now, babies! My friends are here; the ones I told you about, and my friend Spencer, he's going to open the door for you, alright?"

They all conveyed understanding, and when Spencer opened the door, the girls piled out and heeding Emily's injuries, they showered her with affection. It wasn't until Polly wiggled her way on to her lap, though, and whispered her thanks in her friend's ear and gave her a peck on the cheek that Emily experienced an adrenaline crash and finally let herself cry.

About fifteen minutes later, JJ was outside and sitting on the bumper of one of the many ambulances that had been called to the scene. Once things had been deemed safe, they were all allowed to leave the mobile command center and while Penelope and Derek set off to offer help the best they could, all JJ could think about was Emily and the others.

She wouldn't lie that her heart skipped a beat when she saw a pair of paramedics enter the building, a stretcher between them, just as the first group of paramedics exited with the girls.

Where the hell was Emily?

"Agent Jareau?"

The paramedic who drove the ambulance was talking to her, so she stood and turned to him.

"Yes?"

"Will you give me your hand?" he held his own out. "My partner just radioed that he's on his way here with one of the girls, and that it's all hands on deck to look after him until they get to the hospital."

JJ agreed and let him help her up. Just as she got settled, the paramedic's partner arrived, carrying one of the girls. She was wrapped up in an emergency heat blanket, but JJ could still see her shivering.

"This is Polly, but she told me you can call her Appolinariya." the second paramedic told JJ when he was on board. "Agent Prentiss told me to give her to you, specifically. Will you look after her until she's with her family again?"

JJ held her arms out for the girl without hesitation. "Of course!"

Polly was dirty—JJ almost wanted to gag because she was pretty sure that the little one was reeking of dried urine—and she bleeding from a cut on her arm that looked like it needed stitches, but she also kept yawning and rubbing her eyes. At the moment, all she needed was to be held and shown love.

JJ felt her heart filling with to the top from the very emotion the second the paramedic deposited Polly into her lap. The little girl even smiled when JJ kissed her on the top of her head.

"Are you Emelia's love?" she asked JJ.

"Yes, I am, sweet Appolinariya." JJ responded, quite tickled that she'd used Emily's real name. "I'm glad to meet you."

"What's the _realer_ name that you belong to?"

"Jennifer."

Polly grinned and closed her eyes as she snuggled closer and held tightly to JJ's shirt for security.

"Emelia will be _so_ happy to see you, Jennifer."

Polly fell asleep after that.


	40. Thirty Nine

JJ happily looked after Polly when they got to the hospital, and she gave her a bath and washed her hair, too. They were also supplied with clean clothes and shoes for Polly to wear, and feeling very worn out, Polly didn't try to fight against JJ when she helped her get dressed. JJ even held Polly and gave her kisses to calm her down when it came time for her to get the stitches for the wound in her arm. Sore from that and having somewhat of an adrenaline crash, Polly fell asleep after eating her first full meal in what had been far too long.

It was during that time that the families of all of the girls were contacted and asked them to come to the hospital. Wanting to feel useful, Penelope spearheaded that operation and even roped Spencer in when the girls found him awkward and funny. Smitten with JJ because she had pale skin and freckles, blond hair and blue eyes just like she did, Polly imprinted on her and wouldn't tolerate being separated from her until her family arrived. JJ didn't mind, though, because it reminded her of the special time that she'd spent with Zooey in Oregon and Hope and Vivian Greenway in that same hospital a short time ago.

All JJ wanted, though, was to see Emily.

Emily also wanted that, but unfortunately, by the time the paramedics caught up with her and assessed her injuries, she was pretty banged up. The medical professionals that she spoke to after getting admitted to the hospital all told her that there was no way that she would be leaving New York before the day was out.

On the bright side, though, the baby was perfectly healthy, and Emily was even able to learn her child's gender.

* * *

"Emelia?"

She looked up at the sound of her name, her heart absolutely jumping for joy at the sight of the person in front of her.

"Jennifer! You're _here,_ you're _here!"_

As Emily and JJ almost never called each other by their actual names, hearing her full name from the love of her life at a moment like this reduced her to mush immediately.

JJ had Polly in tow in a wagon, and since she had nodded off after getting the stitches, JJ parked the wagon in the corner of the room before approaching the bed.

Emily was hooked up to a number of wires and other such things, as well as an oxygen supply and IV line because she'd left that basement dehydrated. At some point along the way during her admittance, she'd also been dressed in a hospital gown and was also issued a hospital bracelet, too.

JJ's gaze then fell to Emily's injuries, namely her left ankle. It was bare and propped up on a pillow because it was bright red and swollen, to boot.

"Baby," JJ said in a tone that made it sound as though she was about to cry. "What did they _do_ to you?"

"Those bastards beat me because they first got paranoid and then very upset when they realized that Jacoby sold them ou—"

JJ had come a little closer to Emily and made to brush some stray hair out of her face... but Emily's fear kicked in and she flinched.

"I'm sorry." JJ backed off immediately, feeling her heart sink a little bit. "Did I do something wrong?"

Emily shook her head as tears of shame fell down her face. "No, you didn't. They hurt me so badly and for so long that not only do I have a twisted ankle amongst everything else, but now I flinch whenever anyone comes near me."

Memories of the ordeal with Baylor and its repercussions came rushing back to JJ, so she asked, _"They broke your spirit?"_

"Almost, but not entirely."

Now JJ almost felt shy and shuffled her feet. "Is it alright if I hug you and kiss you right now, Emelia?"

"Yes, but you're going to have to deal with me and my achy, jumpy body until I get better."

JJ sat with Emily on the bed and without making any suddenly movements, she hugged her love. Emily reciprocated the affection and only jumped a little bit.

"If you helped me with _my_ pain and trauma," JJ said as she pulled apart and made herself comfortable on the bed. "Then I can and _will_ help you with yours."

"In sickness and in health, and for better or for worse, and all that?"

"Exactly, although we aren't married."

JJ kissed Emily on the lips. _"Yet._ We aren't married _yet."_

They both sat quietly for a few beats, imagining their big day while both trying not think that they weren't even engaged yet. JJ even made a mental note to call Haley and Cho for another get-together so she could pry them about how they were proposed to. She even pondered calling her brother or even asking Hotch about their version of events. Emily's parents were definitely good people to talk to about this. JJ definitely made up her mind right then and there that she was going to be the one to propose.

Their moment was broken when the twins all of a sudden decided to take matters into their own feet by giving JJ such big kicks that even Emily felt them.

"Wow." she remarked. "Feels like you've got a pair of bruisers in there, Jayje."

"Nope—just a pair of spritely baby princesses."

Emily's heart went light. "So we're getting a daughters, just like you wanted?"

JJ nodded and indicated Emily's middle. "Know anything about who's in there?"

Emily's eyes flickered towards JJ's hand closest to her, like she was pondering whether or not to hold it, but the next second, her attention was drawn elsewhere as she felt the baby kick her. JJ wasn't a profiler, but she was very adept at reading both Emily and even general body language, so she caught the hesitancy. She didn't say anything about it because she understood it, but now that she was used to being so affectionate with Emily, she wouldn't lie that it hurt a little bit.

"That's our baby boy."

JJ's eyes immediately brimmed over with tears. "A boy and two girls?"

"Y—oh, don't cry, JJ!"

The blond's feelings were now getting the best of her and she was actually crying now.

"I can't help it; this is exactly what I've wanted!"

Emily reached over and wiped JJ's tears, a move that both surprised the younger woman and made her fall even more in love.

"You're in luck—two daughters and a son is also the line up that I've always wanted... ooo..."

"Is he kicking?"

"Like nothing else. Give me your hand."

JJ did and soon felt her son press a heel against her palm, quickly followed by his other heel.

"Hey, little man." JJ leaned forward and spoke softly to the baby. "I'm your mommy, and I'm so happy to meet you."

Emily brushed out a wrinkle in her garment, feeling on the shy side herself now. "Don't be shy—give him a kiss. It's okay."

JJ happily pressed gentle kisses to Emily's bump.

"I love you so much, baby boy," and I can't wait until you and your sisters are here so I can hold all of you and give all of you hugs and kisses."

The baby kicked more, and, according to Emily, turned a complete somersault.

"What's going on?" A new voice asked.

Polly was awake and sitting up in her wagon.

JJ immediately turned to her and beckoned to her. "Please come here, baby girl."

Clutching her doll, Polly got out of her wagon and when got to JJ, she hugged her briefly and gave her her doll for safekeeping before approaching Emily's bed and talking to her.

"Hi, Emelia. Sorry about your aches and stuff."

"Thanks, Apollinariya."

The little girl pointed to Emily's free hand. "Please can I hold it?"

Emily almost wanted to say no because of her newfound opinions about touching, but that would've just been mean, so in an act of strength, she extended her hand to her little friend.

Polly took it in both of her small ones and touched it to her cheek.

"Thank you for keeping all of us very safe." she kissed Emily's palm before gently placing her whole hand on the blanket with utmost care. "Will you be alright?"

"I will be, and that was really nice of you to ask."

Polly beamed, and then thinking of Sasha, queried, "Emelia, is the baby happy?"

"Yes, he is, and he's healthy, too."

"It's a boy?

Emily nodded, so Polly turned to JJ.

"What do you have?"

"Two baby girls, just like you and Luna."

Polly rubbed at her eyes. "Where _is_ she and everyone?"

Big fat puppydog tears formed in her eyes and she laid her head in JJ's lap, taking deep steadying breaths as she tried to calm herself. JJ immediately caressed Polly's hair as she looked at her, speaking to her with love that only a mother could give.

"Everyone's families are on the way here, sweetheart, including yours. A little bit ago, while you were asleep, Sasha called me and she told me that she, Sloan, Luna, and both of Sloan's parents are all coming to see you right now. They're just going to pick up Estefani first because she's also really excited to see you."

A muffled, "Really?" could be heard from JJ's lap.

JJ continued to stroke Polly's hair. "Yes, and Emelia and I will keep an eye on you. Is that okay?"

Polly just nodded and continued and continued to lay her head on JJ's lap, loving the affection.

A few minutes later, the received a visitor in the form of the brightly dressed, bubbly, pregnant Penelope Garcia, although she didn't come past the doorway.

"Emily, JJ," she addressed her friends. "Is it alright if I borrow Polly for something out here a second?"

"It's okay." Emily told Polly when she looked at her. "Penelope is our friend, and she helped look for us when we were gone."

Polly found this answer to be satisfactory because she promptly left her guardians and exited the room, even taking Penelope's hand when she offered it.

Genuinely curious about what Penelope was up to, JJ and Emily waited to saw what was going to happen, although they didn't have long to wait at all—they were soon treated to the sight of the technical analyst and her favorite 'Junior G Man' herding Polly and the rest of the girls in. All of the girls were clean, in fresh clothes, and had all been fed, so their morale was a lot better, compared to how it had been a few hours ago. They were each holding two silk flower bouquets apiece and no two bouquets were alike.

The least shy out of everybody, Tatiana stepped forward to Emily and held out a bouquet of daisies.

"These are for you for taking care of us."

"Thank you, Tatiana. This is a really thoughtful thing to do."

Tatiana blushed furiously before turning to JJ and handing her a wildflower bouquet.

"You get flowers, too."

JJ didn't see that coming at all, so as she took the flowers, she said, "Thank you, dear Tatiana. This is very nice of you and everyone else to do."

Tatiana became even more bashful. "They're for you because Emily is your love, and also for looking after Polly until her family comes to collect her."

"Is it alright if I hug you?"

Tatiana nodded and melted into JJ's embrace.

That prompted everyone else distributing their flowers and showing affection to JJ, Emily, and even the babies. JJ loved every moment of it, and when she looked over at her girlfriend, she felt her heart swell with loved because just for those few moments, Emily's woes and aches ebbed away as she enjoyed it, too.

Over by the door, Penelope gave a happy sigh as she watched her handiwork in action while she took pictures on her phone.

Spencer was next to her and also happily surveying the scene, as well. Happy endings were always the best.

Spencer was also the first to get a phone call from Hotch, who informed him that the girls' families had all arrived and that all but Polly's were waiting for them over in the children's wing; Polly's family was coming directly to Emily's room.

Hotch also informed Spencer to tell Penelope that she would be assigned to Polly's family, guiding them around and answering questions until it was time for them to go.

Within five minutes of that phone call, though, the room was quiet, and it was JJ, Emily, and Polly again.

Just as Polly was beginning to feel stomach butterflies, a voice littler than hers filled the air.

 _"POLLY!"_

It was Luna—she'd been a foot or so ahead of the others, and as a result, she entered the room first. When Polly saw her niece, she began to cry and she knelt on her knees in the middle of the floor and beckoned to her. Even though Luna was a little unsteady on her feet, she made a beeline for Polly, and when she reached her, she was all giggles as Polly hugged her and praised her for doing such a good job.

If JJ and Emily hadn't already been such puddles, witnessing the bond between Polly and Luna would have been enough to do both of them in on the spot.

When Penelope arrived with Sasha, Sloan, Ingrid, Atticus, and Estefani a few moments later—she'd suddenly had to do a last-second job of calming them all down again—Polly saw them and became overwhelmed with such joy that that she fell all the way to the floor, crying even more. She loved her family very dearly and had missed all of them.

* * *

A little while into the reunions Sloan gave Polly to Estefani and approached Emily's bed. As ever, Sasha was beside him, and while she wanted to speak, she let Sloan do it because he'd been looking forward to it.

"Thank you for bringing Polly back and looking after her." he told the agents. "We can't even begin to tell you how grateful and thankful we are."

Emily smiled. "Rescuing little ones from scary situations and looking after them is part of the job, so you are very welcome. We're as relieved as you are that she's back, too."

"We were wondering if we could ask you two something important, but we'd totally understand if you say no."

"Don't quit while you're ahead, Sloan," JJ said gently. "And please don't forget to breathe."

Sloan took JJ's advice and noisily exhaled. "We're getting married in August, after the baby comes; it's going to be a small affair, and we were wondering if you two and your children, of course, would attend."

JJ and Emily didn't even have to confer with each other on that one because they both knew exactly what they other would say.

Then even answered in unison.

"We would _love_ to come."

Sloan and Sasha thanked them all over again.


	41. Forty

The next morning found Emily still in the hospital, but waiting to get discharged. She was very sore yet from the beatings she'd received, and she also had a sprained ankle and bruised bone, the latter of which was causing her a lot of pain, as well as earning her crutches and a medical boot that went up to her knee... along with another thing that blindsided her altogether.

* * *

"A _wheelchair?"_ Emily squawked. "I have to have a _wheelchair?"_

JJ was in a chair at her lover's bedside, trying not to laugh. Emily had accepted the need for her ankle to be wrapped up in gauze, and that the bindings would have to be changed once a day, and she even accepted the boot and crutches without complaint, but was really drawing the line at the wheelchair and had yet to sit in it. Trying to get her to do so was like trying to get a picky six-year-old to eat their vegetables.

"But it's a lightweight one that'll be easy to fold and unfold since you and I can't exactly be lugging super heavy things around these days." she tried.

"Babe, we live in an apartment with a steep staircase! By the time I'm healed, we'll be well into our third trimesters!"

They were both in month five already.

JJ arched an eyebrow. "You've hurt that specific leg before, haven't you?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah, but I don't remember it because I was one."

"Get in the wheelchair. Now." JJ crossed her arms over her big belly and tilted her head towards the offending piece of wheeled furniture. "The doctor said she's going to call yours in D.C. to update her so she'll be in the know when we return, but she _also_ said that you have to practice navigating before she can let you sign your release papers."

"Fine." Emily sighed theatrically and pulled herself into a sitting position, glad that she was at least wearing her own clothes. "Will you help me?"

"Of course."

JJ helped Emily into her chair and even made sure that her feet were properly elevated the way the doctor had instructed.

All was fine, until—

"Oh, come _on!"_ Emily cried, although her protest ended in a groan as she clutched the underside of her bump. "Do you have to do this to mama _now,_ Baby Bear?"

"He's at it again, huh?"

"Your son is nuts, babe."

"So he's _mine_ today?"

"Yeah." Emily griped. "How are Kitty and Ladybug?"

JJ gave her bump a tickle and was promptly greeted by Kitty's elbow and Ladybug's arm, but the movements were soft.

"They're awake and being gentle with mommy."

Emily just made a harmuphing noise and then another when JJ clapped her hands.

"Come on and quite stalling!"

"I—"

Emily didn't get a chance to say what she was going to say because there was a knock on the open door, and when they looked to see who it was, they were surprised—it wasn't the doctor, or even Rossi and Spencer, who had already come earlier to collect Derek to bring him back to the hotel where they'd been staying.

It was Ingrid Fitzgerald, and she was looking very relieved.

"I'm so glad I was able to catch you two here! Is it alright if I come in for a minute?"

"Yes!" Emily chirped, happy for another distraction. "How can we help, Missus Fitzgerald?"

The other woman laughed as she entered. "You can start by calling me Ingrid, but I came by because Sasha and Sloan had some things they wanted to pass along."

"Oh?" queried JJ, remembering stuffed animals she'd received.

"Mhm."

Ingrid held out gift bags to them—green for JJ and yellow for Emily.

"This was all their idea, but they'd ask if I'd come by because Polly wanted to stay home."

Quite curious now, JJ sat on the chair and opened her bag to find two beautiful picture frames, each one filled with a picture that took her breath away. The first one was of her and Emily cuddling with Polly, and the second was of her having a moment with Polly, giving her a hug. JJ's heart immediately filled with love for yet another child that she'd encountered in recent months who was helping change her heart and make it whole again. She knew in a heartbeat that these pictures would be going on her office desk, next to the ones of Zooey, and Hope and Vivian. In that moment, she finally understood why one of Jason Gideon's hobbies had been collecting photos of particularly memorable people he'd encountered throughout their cases, and it made her heart fill with even more love.

Emily had received pictures like those, too, and she also looked very happy.

JJ spoke first. "Ingrid, this is really wonderful, and some of the nicest things anyone has ever given us."

Emily nodded in agreement. "Tha—oof... he won't _quit!"_

JJ kissed the top of her head sympathetically, and Ingrid watched them fondly.

"Your little one is a boy?"

Emily gave another nod. "He's just figured out how to kick hard, and he's been at it almost around the clock since last night. It's like he only stops to sleep."

Ingrid briefly wrinkled the bridge of her nose before turning to JJ. "Do you know anything about your little ones?"

"Two baby girls," JJ said proudly. "And they're also not nearly as jumpy as their brother."

As if a point was being proved, Emily rubbed at a spot near her navel as she felt a random punch there. "You've had both, right, Ingrid? Who's easier?"

"It's always depended on the baby's overall temperament because everyone was all over the place."

"Then will you at least say who kicked the most?"

Ingrid gave a grin worthy of the Cheshire Cat. "My twin daughters, Charlotte and Quinlan, and not just because they're a literal pair."

Emily hung her head. "I'm doomed."

"Charlie and Quin are still as much are as much a pair as they ever were. They're also completely identical, and best friends."

JJ was fascinated. "Where do you they fall in the line-up?"

"Sloan and Sasha are tied for first because they're only a day apart, and that was one of the first things we learned about her." Ingrid said in a tone of doing math aloud. "The twins are less than a year younger than them, so including Sasha, Charlie and Quin make numbers three and four. They're turning twenty-five next month, actually, and Sloan and Sasha's birthdays are next week."

"Wow."

"I heard you two accepted invitations the wedding, so you'll meet the girls then, unless..."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Unless what?"

"They have a friend in D.C. named Haley, and sometimes they visit her."

That threw the agents for a loop, and JJ asked, "Would it be Haley Hotchner, perchance?"

"Yes, actually. How—"

Her inquiry was interrupted by a sudden loud stream of hiccups that made her want to just crawl back in the bed and sleep off those, as well as the intense baby kicks and punches accompanying them. She loved being pregnant, but she was not enjoying this aspect at the moment.

"And I remember that part, too." Ingrid sympathized as she regathered her things. "I still have your contact information, so I'll drop a line about addresses when Sasha and Sloan have their Save The Date cards all sorted."

JJ and Emily nodded in agreement and waved goodbye to their friend.

Emily's doctor arrived not long after Ingrid left, and after some stronger cajoling, she got Emily to perform a few basic maneuvers on her chair before feeling satisfied enough to let her finally sign the release papers.

Emily's hiccups were still going strong fifteen minutes later, when Rossi and Spencer finally arrived to bring them back to the airport. She wanted another distraction.

One came when they were halfway home in the jet in the form of Hotch receiving a phone call. Nobody thought anything of it until they heard what he said just before he hung up.

"Yes, and thank you very much—I'll tell them now. Good bye."

"Are we *hic* turning around *hic* now, sir?" Emily asked from where she was camped out on the sofa.

"No." Hotch told her, smiling in amusement when a collective sigh of relief could be heard from the others. "That was Chief Strauss just now; she knows about the tumbles that all of us, but especially the ones that you, JJ, and Morgan had on this case, and she's letting us have off until Wednesday to recharge since our caseload has been heavy since Alabama, anyway. We're even going to be getting paid time-and-a-half because she's feeling generous."

Another collective sigh of relief could be heard throughout the cabin—today was Wednesday, so not only were they getting a weeklong impromptu vacation, but they were getting paid for it, too.

The plane ride home was even more relaxing after that.

Emily's hiccups even stopped.

* * *

When they were finally back in the BAU building, though, namely in JJ's office, the weariness of the past few days was finally kicking in and she wanted even more to get into a bed and sleep for a long time. There was also another thing she wanted.

"Jayje, what do you think of us calling my parents to see if we can stay over there? I really want to see them."

JJ smiled, thinking of how she'd benefited from spending time at Casa de la Prentiss after their last trip to New York. Hanging out there, and with Emily's parents now sounded very appealing.

"I like it a lot. It sounds perfect."

Emily just gave her a thumb's up and leaned back in her chair—the exhaustion was _really_ setting in.

JJ called Elizabeth, and she picked up quickly.

"JJ, sweetheart!" she chirped merrily. "How are you and Emelia?"

JJ laughed nervously. "We just got back from New York again, and the whole team is on paid leave until next Wednesday because we all need to recharge."

Elizabeth's tone changed to one of concern, and she was glad to already be sitting at the kitchen table. "What happened there this time?"

"All the right people have been arrested, but do you remember Derek?"

"Yes."

"He was shot in the shoulder by the person we were chasing, and had to have surgery to remove the bullet, but he pulled that just fine because it wasn't as bad as it looked at first glance. He's going to be in a sling for awhile."

"Well, that's good." Elizabeth said before she pressed JJ to keep talking. "Something else happened, huh?"

"I fainted from shock because I was in the vicinity when that went down."

"Dear Lord! Jennifer, tell me that you and the twins are okay—just for my own peace of mind."

"I had a brief stay in the hospital, but I promise you that all three of us are healthy now, Elizabeth."

"Thank you." she paused for a second, like she was thinking something through, or else on her fingers. "Wait—there are seven of you on the team, yes?"

"Correct."

"That means that there'd have to be at least three of you that had some kind of sp—what happened to Emelia?"

Not even questioning how she'd made that leap already, JJ replied, "She was taken by the same person who shot Derek, and that person and his friends hurt Emelia, too."

Elizabeth put a hand over her heart as she felt its beat quicken. "Spare me the details of how and why for now, and just tell me what Emelia's injuries are."

"A bruised bone and a twisted ankle."

"Where are you two now?"

"At work. We were hoping to be able to spend our week off at your house with you and Max."

"That isn't even a question because I was about to insist. Has everyone from your team gone home?"

"Yes."

JJ heard the scraping of a chair and Elizabeth having a brief exchange in Italian with Max before she spoke to her again.

"JJ, Max is ringing the chauffeur, and when he gets here, we'll be along to collect you two, alright? Don't go anywhere."

"We won't, and thank you for this."

"You are very welcome, and you've been as good as a daughter to Max and I ever since Emelia brought you home at Christmastime; we'll do anything for you. Anything."

JJ almost wanted to cry because that was one of the sweetest things Elizabeth had ever told her.

"I appreciate that," was what she managed to respond with.

Elizabeth smiled, even though JJ couldn't see her and she said warmly, "See you soon."

When JJ hung up and pocketed her phone, she turned to Emily, intending to update her, only to see that she had fallen asleep.

JJ let her be.


	42. Forty One

"JJ, we need to talk about what happened in New York."

The family was back at the Prentiss House, and after Emily had been settled into bed, JJ was down in the living room with Emily's parents. She sat in her favorite spot by the lit fireplace while Elizabeth and Maximo sat in the armchairs nearby.

"Yeah, I owe you two that much, considering what happened the last time Emily and I came back from there. Where do I start?"

"The top." said Elizabeth. "Please."

JJ explained everything that had happened over the past few days (the civilian version, at least), and by the time she was finished, Elizabeth and Maximo were both stunned, to say the least.

"She went through all of that, including getting those injuries, to save those girls?" Elizabeth asked at length.

"Mhm." JJ nodded, blinking back tears. "I'm so proud of her because she mothered them and looked after them even when she was terrified. It takes a lot of strength and courage."

"I know you've heard many tales of Emelia's crazy streak from when she was younger," Maximo said thoughtfully. "But she's always been very compassionate with children, especially little ones in distress. This is just the first time—that Betty and I know of—that Emelia's ever gotten hurt over it."

"Taking risks is in the job description, but you're saying that Emily going this far is nothing new?"

"Precisely. She definitely got it from her mother and myself."

JJ arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"

An impish twinkle appeared in her eyes. "As you know, JJ, Betty and I have been together almost an entire lifetime, but we often got into trouble together."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Excuse me! We did get into trouble, yes, but as _I_ recall, it was often _me_ getting roped in when Erin had the presence of mind to stay away."

"Will you give me an example of one those adventures?" JJ asked.

"There was one time when we decided to go exploring school after dark—" Maximo began.

 _"Woah!"_ Elizabeth cut them off. _"How_ many times have I said that we can't tell _that_ story without getting wine in our systems? Change lanes, Max."

"Oh, alright." He turned back towards JJ. "There was another time when we were twelve that we found an injured owl—we were in the English countryside—and we spent weeks and weeks taking care of it, nursing it back to health."

"What was wrong with it?" JJ wanted to know.

"It had a broken leg and could barely stand. We worked together to look after it until it was healed up and we let it go. Erin covered for us a lot, regarding the owl."

"Did you ever get caught?"

"No, actually, but there were a few times when we came close."

"And you took a risk over a wild animal." JJ mused. "Was it worth it?"

"Absolutely, especially because it was our first baby, of sorts. It's risks like that, to do what's right, even when there's a lot on the line, that Emelia learned from us."

"That actually makes me feel better."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Yet, you're thinking of something more, huh?"

JJ nodded. "Has Emily ever come back from something traumatized before? She won't even let me touch her, except for where the baby is concerned!"

"No." Maximo admitted. "We've never seen her like this before."

"Then what do I do? I'm going to take care of her because she took care of me when I was hurt and because she's the love of my life, but I have no idea where to begin on this one."

"My advice would be to take it as it comes."

"And," Elizabeth added. "In any healthy, loving relationship, a key factor is patience."

"Emily taught me a lot about patience in a few ways when my arm was broken. If she did that for me, I can definitely do it for her."

"And if it ever gets really bad, we're just a phone call away."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't even realized she'd been holding in. "Thank you both—for everything. I feel better now."

"So do we." Maximo said as he and Elizabeth stood. "You can ask us anything at all, whenever you want, but don't forget that this week is all about you, Emelia, and the babies recharging."

"I definitely won't forget that."

Elizabeth stepped forward and gave JJ a motherly kiss on the top of her head. "Good girl. If you want us, we'll be in the kitchen."

JJ nodded in acknowledgement and watched them go. She loved Emily's parents dearly, and really couldn't wait for them to meet her mother.

All of a sudden, the opening notes of Do You Wanna Dance from _American Graffiti_ began to sound off—her mom was calling.

Crap, JJ thought as she reached for her iPad on the end table. Now I have to tell mom about New York!

"Hey, mom!" JJ greeted Sandy when she accepted the FaceTime invitation. "What's up?"

Sandy immediately raised an eyebrow: she could read her daughter like a book and immediately knew that JJ was trying a little too hard to act like everything was fine.

"Jenny, what happened? And where are you?"

"Emily and I are at her parents' house because we just got back from an exhausting trip to New York. The whole team is on a paid one-week vacation to recharge because Derek, Emily, and I all had some spills."

"Jennifer Abigail Grace, you better tell me everything that happened on that trip!"

JJ repeated the story, doing her best not to lose her composure a second time, and by the end, Sandy's heart was doing jumping jacks.

"Wow. How are you right now?"

"So, so wired, and the girls are very squirmy tonight." JJ wrinkled her nose as she felt frenzied movements in her belly. "I just got kicked by someone's feet, and punched by someone else's fists."

The older woman heard that, but only vaguely because was hung up on something that her offspring had said.

"You're having two little girls?"

JJ nodded proudly. "Mhm, and Emily's carrying a boy!"

Sandy sighed happily. "How perfect."

"I wish you were here, mom."

"Well, actually, I will be in town soon."

JJ's heart jumped. "It's yours and Kaida's birthdays this week! Mom, it slipped my mind with everything that's just happened…"

"Don't worry—you can have a free pass on this one." Sandy reassured her. "Do you think there'd be a chance that I can come visit you and your new family?"

"I'd love th—"

"JJ? Who are you talking to?"

Elizabeth had been passing by the living room on her way upstairs to check on Emily, but got sidetracked when she heard JJ conversing animatedly with someone in Russian.

JJ looked up at the sound of her name, and when she saw Elizabeth, she sat up and beckoned to her as she switched back to English.

"Lizzie, it's my mom! Come say hello!"

Elizabeth hurried over and accepted the tablet from JJ when she let her hold it.

"Hi." she said softly to JJ's mother, almost shy. "I'm Elizabeth, and I'm so happy to finally meet you."

"Likewise, Elizabeth. I'm Sandy."

Elizabeth turned to JJ. "Will you be a love and go get Max? He's in the kitchen, fretting over what to make for dinner."

Chuckling at the image, JJ got up and found Maximo in the kitchen and told him what was happening. He was out of the room in a heartbeat.

* * *

Around an hour later, JJ was in the library, playing the piano. It had been awhile since she'd played, but it was like riding a bike and she loved it, especially because the babies were so respondent to the melodies. It made JJ happy, even when her children began kicking and squirming in ways they never had before.

Just as she finished her third song, there was a knock on the door that she almost didn't hear because the walls of the room were soundproof. When the door opened, JJ saw that her new visitor was Elizabeth.

"Mind if I join you?"

JJ scooted over on the bench as Elizabeth shut the door behind her. "Of course."

Elizabeth sat beside JJ and set JJ's iPad on the song sheet stand.

"I thought I'd come bring this back to you."

"Thanks. You and Max have a fun chat with my mom?"

"Yes, and about that, sweetheart, we invited her, your brother, and his family over for a birthday dinner."

JJ brightened. "It's going to be fun, and I can't wait to tell Emily!"

"But best leave that until morning." Elizabeth advised.

"Okay…"

JJ stopped and arched her back, even holding her middle with her hands for a moment.

"Are they kicking?" Elizabeth asked.

JJ took one of Elizabeth's hands in hers and pressed it flat against her bump, while with her free hand, she gave the bump a tickle. The babies immediately went into a frenzy, kicking and punching even more when Elizabeth laughed in amazement.

"They know you're here." JJ let out a puff of air as she felt an elbow jab. "I'm just glad that none of us have the hiccups. Again."

Elizabeth motioned towards the piano. "Emelia was incredibly fidgety, but music always quelled her—we brought this piano back from Italy for her. Would you like to play something?"

"Sure! Do you know How To Save A Life?"

"I can't say that I do."

"Oh, I can teach you! Do you want to learn?"

"Alright."

JJ positioned her fingers on the correct keys. "Watch me."

Elizabeth actually did know the song—she could play most music she heard by ear—but she decided prolong the moment because JJ's musical side was a new aspect of her personality that she was curious about now, and she loved getting to know her, anyway.

And as it turned out, JJ was a great teacher.


	43. Forty Two

JJ and Emily fell asleep quickly that night, worn out from the events of New York.

All was well until just after one.

JJ woke abruptly and sat with a start, much to the dismay of her children, who had both been sound asleep. At first, after JJ turned on the light, she was confused about why she'd woken up, but after a few moments of orienting herself and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she saw the reason.

Emily was beside her, tossing and turning, muttering in her sleep. She was having a nightmare.

"No! _Please_ don't hurt me!"

Cautiously, because she'd never seen her girlfriend like this, JJ leaned over and spoke to her.

"Emelia, it's okay! You're safe!"

Emily continued tossing and turning. "Take _me,_ not _him!"_

JJ tried again. "You're having a nightmare! Wake up!"

Emily did wake up, although in a way that neither she nor JJ had been expecting.

 _WHACK!_

"OW!"

Emily had accidentally hit JJ in her sleep, square in the nose.

Emily woke up at the sound of JJ's cry, her chest heaving as she came down from the adrenaline rush, her nightmare had given her, but when she saw JJ beside her, sitting up with her head tilted back and her nose pinched, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, Jayje! I didn't mean to do that! Are you bleeding?"

"Yeth." she answered in a nasally tone. "Dode worry, Ebby. I'be dot ubzet."

Roughly a minute had elapsed between Emily waking up and JJ promising that she was fine. Down the hallway in their own bedroom, Elizabeth and Maximo woke almost immediately, made themselves decent, and headed over to the other occupied bedroom.

When they saw Emily crying and JJ going through the procedures of staunching a bloody nose, they chose to conquer and divide with Maximo sitting on the bed with Emily while Elizabeth went to JJ.

"Come on, sweetheart." Elizabeth pulled the blanket back and helped her up. "I'll take care of you."

JJ breathed a sigh of relief and let Elizabeth guide her to the bathroom in the hallway. Once there, Elizabeth closed the toilet lid and sat JJ down on it and began fussing over her.

"Tilt your head back again." Elizabeth instructed. "Good girl."

"I'be zeeig ztarz, 'Lizbeth." JJ mumbled. "I doe id waz ad agzident, bud she hitz _hard."_

"Oh, that's a lot of blood," Elizabeth sighed as she replaced JJ's hands with a warm damp washcloth, taking a turn at staunching the bloodflow. "But yes, Emelia hits hard because she's always been like that. Try not to talk for a few moments."

JJ conveyed her understanding by giving Elizabeth a thumbs up and quieted.

They waited together for about ten minutes, and when Elizabeth checked on JJ again, she saw that the blood had stopped, so she worked on cleaning everything up. She sat on the edge of the bathtub when she was done.

"Well, at least it isn't broken. But if it was, I'd be able to set it for you."

JJ arched an eyebrow and spoke, relieved that she could finally speak in a normal tone. "Excuse me?"

"At school, Max got it into his head the first month to sign up for a sport since Erin and I both picked one before he did, and of all things, he chose _rugby."_

JJ shuddered. "Isn't that sport super dangerous?"

"Yes, but nobody could stop him, especially us."

"What sport did you two choose?"

"We were on the equestrian team, but that isn't the point."

"What is?"

"Because Max played that sport the whole time we were at school, he always came crawling back to me with injuries. I learned very quickly how to take care of them. I've been treating his cuts, bruises, and breaks ever since we were eleven."

"That's adorable, and most definitely _true_ love."

Elizabeth smiled and helped JJ to her feet. "He is my soulmate, Jennifer; I knew it back then, and I still know it now. I would do anything for him… Actually, remind me another time to tell you about our adventures in Bosnia."

 _"Bosnia?"_ JJ exclaimed at the mention of a war torn country. "When the hell were you guys _there?_ Emily's never mentioned _that_ before!"

"Well, she wouldn't remember because she was en utero the whole time we were there."

"Gotcha." JJ said around a barely concealed yawn.

"It's back to bed with you." Elizabeth patted JJ on the back and began steering her back towards the bedroom. "Let's go."

JJ was very sleepy again, so she didn't they returned, Maximo was just finished up a chat with Emily. She seemed calmer and was no longer crying, but still wasn't too keen with touching too much, so he gave her hand a gentle squeeze and bid her good night, doing the same with JJ as he passed by her on his way out.

Elizabeth also told them good night, and she closed the door behind her and Maximo.

Emily watched JJ cross the room and get back under the covers before speaking again. "How are you doing now? I'm so sorry for what I did!"

"It was an accident, and you were having a nightmare, so we both know it wasn't on purpose."

Emily nodded. "Jennifer, I just have to say this, but you know I would never ever hurt you, right? Never ever."

JJ realized that Emily was no doubt feeling really guilty about hurting her, even accidentally, because the last person she'd been in a relationship with who had physically struck her had been her abuser.

"I understand, Emelia."

JJ held a hand out to Emily, wanting to see if she'd take it. Her heart leapt when Emily obliged.

"I would never hurt you, either." she kissed Emily's open palm. "We've been through a lot since the night you found me after I broke my arm, and we're both works in progress. You helped me when I really needed it and you never gave up on me, so I'm going to return the favor with you."

"Even after nights like tonight?"

"Mhm." JJ kissed Emily's palm again. "And you know what? After the babies come, we can work together on losing the baby weight!"

Everybody on the BAU team were at various levels of athleticism, but it was no secret that after Derek, it was JJ and Emily who were the most athletic.

Emily actually smiled. "If you indulge me in a few nights of kickboxing at the gym, I will train with you for your next marathon, even if it's a 25K."

"Deal." JJ turned Emily's hand over and kissed it again. "Let's get some sleep now."

JJ agreed and they both finally turned in after she shut off her lamp. They both fell asleep very quickly.

They both dreamt only of pleasant things for the rest of the night.

* * *

In the morning, Maximo was already gone at work by the time JJ and Emily were awake. As for Elizabeth, she could be found in her office, having a conversation on Skype with Sandy about the finer details of their families meeting.

JJ and Emily had a lazy day, but after lunch, and well into the afternoon, they camped out on their bed while they hashed out ideas for wedding dates and baby names.

Wanting to be mindful of everyone in their lives who were expecting babies, they settled on August twentieth. That only gave them seven months to prepare, but they had no doubt that they could pull it off.

When it came to the part about baby names, though, they had a bit more fun.

"Ethan?"

"Uh-uh."

"Jacob?"

"That's actually a cute name, but Em, didn't we already agree that none of these babies will have names that start with e or j so they can all have some individuality?"

"Oh, yeah." Emily laughed nervously. "This must be the dreaded 'pregnancy brain' kicking in. At least Baby Bear finally stopped hiccuping."

Emily's and JJ's little boy seemed to get the hiccups more than their little girls, making him the one who hiccuped the most. He'd already put Emily through two hiccuping jags before noon, and neither had lasted less than an hour. It was now approaching five in the afternoon, and the third hiccuping jag—blessedly only fifteen minutes that time—had ended only fifteen minutes before.

"Yeah, there is _that."_

Not wanting to jinx it, Emily put the conversation back on the right track. "What's a letter that you don't often hear for a name?"

JJ thought for a moment. "H. Let's pick a name that can have a good nickname, especially for when he gets bigger."

Emily nodded in agreement, flipping to the H section of the baby name book she'd been using earlier while JJ made use of the H section on a baby name site she was looking at on her laptop.

She was the one who found the name they could both agree on.

"What about Henry?"

No sooner was the name out of her mouth than Emily gave a cry of surprise and dropped her book, putting both hands on her middle. JJ set her laptop to the side and moved closer to her girlfriend.

"What just happened?"

"He just gave me a _huge_ kick as soon as you said Henry!"

JJ smiled. "Then I think Baby Bear just became Henry, then."

Emily prodded her middle methodically, beaming when she felt a strong flurry of kicks in response.

"Baby Bear, are you our Henry?"

He gave her another kick, almost bigger than the first. Emily giggled at the sensation, a sound that was music to JJ's ears.

"Babe," Emily said giddily. "Feel this!"

Just for a moment, Emily forgot her woes about being touched and took both of JJ's hand in her own, placing them on the bump. In a very happy mood, the baby kicked and turned somersaults repeatedly. His joy even rubbed off on his mothers, putting them both in even happier moods.

"Yep—he's definitely our Henry." JJ said as she sat back up and took back her laptop. "What about a middle name?"

"David." JJ said after perusing through a new list of names. "It means beloved."

Emily tried the name out. "Henry David… I really like it, and so does he because he hasn't stopped kicking yet."

JJ smiled in sympathy and set her computer aside again, changing positions on the bed slightly as she felt the twins' gentle pressing against their confines as they stretched out.

"Time for naming Kitty and Ladybug," JJ pulled back her shirt and ran her hands over her middle. "But I already have some names that I like."

"How many?"

"Five."

 _"Five?!_ When did you have time to come up with _five?!"_

"I had a lot of time to kill in the hospital during our most recent trip to New York."

Emily immediately simmered down. "Okay, what are the names?"

"Isobel, Naomi, Alexis, Olivia, and Sophia."

"All of those names are so adorable!"

"Which is your most favorite? Let's each pick one."

Emily quickly flipped through the name book, looking up all of the names before she settled on one.

"Alexis is my most favorite. We can even call her Sasha."

JJ's heart melted—she knew Emily had suggested the Sasha idea as a tribute to her pride of being part Russian, and also because when Russian translated to English, that name in particular was a nickname for the name Alexander and names that were similar to it.

"Alright, and Sasha and Alexis are _both_ very beautiful."

Emily nodded in agreement. "Both names mean 'defender of man,' and that's quite fitting when it's taken into account what you and I do for a living. Do you have a name that's your most favorite?"

"Olivia—it means olive tree in Latin, and do you know what olive _branches_ are a universal sign of?"

"Peace." JJ answered. "Hey—that actually goes hand-in-hand with Alexis. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yes, actually. We achieved naming our twins without giving them over-the-top or cliché rhyming or anagrammed names like oh so many other twins have been saddled with."

"And one of our girls protects people while the other stands for peace."

"Perfect. What about Jane as a middle name for Alexis? It means 'God's gracious gift,' and it's also just a cute name."

"It definitely is," JJ blew out a breath when she felt two different pairs of elbows hit her. "But are we calling her Sasha or AJ?"

Emily shrugged. "Maybe even both, depending on what she grows to prefer. I mean, I respond regularly to Emelia, and you respond all the time to Jennifer, don't we?"

"Touché. All that's left is a middle name for Olivia."

"What about one of our middle names for her?"

"I like that, but since you have one and I have two, let's use yours. Abigail Grace can be for our last baby girl."

"Sounds fair. Olivia Magdalene it is."

Emily wrote all their kids' names down in the back of her book. "So we've got Henry David, Alexis Jane, and Olivia Magdalene. What about last names?"

The sound of wind chimes filled the air suddenly—JJ's phone was alerting her to a new text, but…

"Isn't that your texting tone for Haley?"

JJ nodded and opened the text, which read, Would you & Emily like to come over? _Aaron & Jack are at a baseball game and I miss you two._

JJ sent back, _Sure! What time? Anyone else coming?_

 _Cho is already here,_ (because they lived in such a small world, JJ's brother and his family had moved into the house for sale next to the House of Hotchner) _And I'm about to reach out to Penelope + my friends Charlotte & Quinlan are visiting from out of town._

Remembering something that Ingrid Fitzgerald had said, JJ wrote back even faster. _Charlotte & Quinlan Fitzgerald?_

 _O_O how did you know?_

JJ turned to Emily. "Haley's inviting us over to her place just to hang out. She's got friends visiting from out of state, and Cho is also there. She's going to talk to Penelope next."

"Go ask mother to ring the chauffeur for you—Henry and I are going going to take a rain check."

"Are you sure?"

Emily held up three fingers, putting them down one at a time as she counted backwards. "Three… two… one… *hic* I know *hic* *hic* *hic* our boy."

JJ sent a text back to Haley. _I'm in, but Emily is taking a rain check. I'll be along in awhile. Should I bring anything?_

 _Just Tupperware to save some for food for her. C & Q cooked, and they made a lot._

 _I can't wait to meet them! See you soon ;)_

JJ put her phone in her sweater pocket and turned to Emily, who had started channel surfing on the TV mounted on the wall across from the bed while she'd been conversing with Haley. Of all things, she'd settled on vintage _Flinstones_.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Emily said nothing, plagued with hiccups, but showed JJ a pair of crossed fingers.

"Alright." JJ stood and stretched. "We'll save you some food."

"Thank *hic* you. Love *hic* you."

JJ blew Emily a kiss. "Love you, too. I'm going to go find Elizabeth now."

Even more plagued with hiccups now, Emily turned her attention back to the TV after JJ left.

Hopefully the rest of JJ's day would go better than hers currently was.


	44. Forty Three

_You can tell our friends the kids' names, but let's keep middle names to ourselves for now ;)_

 _Deal. You & Henry rest up xo_

 _XO_

This was the brief texting exchange JJ had with Emily on the ride to the Hotchners' house, and because Lars the chauffeur was both very professional and just a stand-up guy in general, he saw JJ to the door and even waited until Haley greeted her at the door and let her in to go back to the car and leave.

"Who was that just now?" Haley asked as she helped JJ put her things away. "And here—I'll take the Tupperware."

Depositing the empty containers she'd bought into Haley's outstretched hands, JJ answered, "That was Lars Björkman, the Prentiss family chauffeur; he's really cool. Is Penelope here yet?"

"No, but come on." Haley pointed with an elbow in the general direction of the living room. "Charlotte and Quinaln are probably in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the food, but Cho is at the table now."

Haley led JJ from the front door over to the dining room table, inviting her to sit at the table while she went back to the kitchen.

Cho was at the dining table, reading a story on her iPad.

She was a stay-at-home mother, and she loved it because after her own crazy life experiences—even before meeting Archer—all she'd wanted was to be a wife and a mother. She had also been into such wealth in Japan that she'd literally never had to work a day in her life because she could afford it. At least she was very normal and down-to-earth.

Cho Kanagawa–Jareau was an extremely beautiful woman with the looks of a movie star and a beautiful heart full of gold. She was also a qualified genius with an IQ in the range of Spencer's, but she didn't flaunt it, so nobody knew unless she told or someone asked.

JJ had been ten the first time Archer had brought Cho home to their house in Pennsylvania to meet the family, but she'd been completely enamored with her from the first night. The feeling skyrocketed later that day when Archer pulled her aside to tell her that he was going to propose to Cho and that he needed her help to do it.

Needless to say, JJ and Cho had been close ever since, and it was twenty years later.

"How are you doing?" JJ asked her sister-in-law as she sat in a chair beside her.

Cho put her tablet in lock-screen mode and sat back in her chair. "Exhausted, as big as a house, and ready for my boys to join us already. Tomorrow makes eight months, you know. The babies are very cozy even though mommy wants to just evict them."

"So my nephews can come any time, then?"

"Any time after _tomorrow."_

Today was the thirteenth. "What's happening tomorrow?"

"Archer said I could tell you since we're hanging out right now, but at this very moment, Toshio and Sakura are flying in from Tokyo. They'll be here tomorrow morning."

JJ lit up—Toshio and Sakura were Cho's parents, and she'd known them for almost as long as she'd known Cho. "I can't want to see to see them and introduce them to Emily! They'll even be here when our families meet!"

"I told them about that—and not to worry, Elizabeth and Sandy both know, too. Everyone is excited."

JJ smiled. "May I ask you something, Cho?"

"Of course, Jenny."

"Do the twins hiccup a lot? Hiccups are what kept Emily home tonight."

Cho glided her hands over her middle as she felt her sons move to the best of their ability in what was left of the space that was housing them. "Your nephews get the hiccups like nothing else just before bed. I hate it, Archer helps me through it because it happens like clockwork, and Kaida thinks it's hilarious. How is it for Emily?"

"She says the babies kick and hiccup almost around the clock. It wears her out often."

"And today was a bad day?"

"Four seperate hiccuping jags today, and number four was beginning just as I was leaving to come here."

"Yikes. Kaida was very pleasant with me when I carried her, but her brothers are like hellions—oh, there they go…"

Cho sighed and started moving her hands over her middle methodically as she tracked her sons' movements. She didn't understand how they kept kicking and elbowing her when they barely had room to move anymore.

At the same time that this was happening, the doorbell rang and Haley came hurrying out from the kitchen as fast as her own big, pregnant middle would allow. Her other friends were just behind her.

"I will answer that and let Penelope in. You two have some fun with Charlotte and Quinlan."

The twins were physically identical, both with pale skin and lean, athletic builds, chocolate-brown hair, and they even had freckles across the bridges of their noses. They also both stood above average height and had green eyes that almost shone bright like orbs into the soul. So as to show off their personalities and tell themselves apart, Charlotte dressed in a preppy style and had her hair styled into a side braid, while Quinlan preferred the artsy look and kept her hair short. The girls were two of a kind, but still managed to maintain their individuality, and JJ like that immediately. It also made her wonder if Alexis and Olivia were going to be like that when they were older.

Cho had already become acquainted with them, but when they entered and laid out the food they'd made for dinner, she and JJ stood, nonetheless.

"Charlotte, Quinlan, this is one of Haley's and Aaron's friends—and my sister-in-law—Jennifer Jareau."

"Please call me JJ." she said as she shook hands with them.

"Then please call us Charlie and Q. Those are the names we've gone by for as long as we can remember." Charlotte chirped. "Are you one of Aaron's agents from the BAU?"

"Yes, and I have been, ever since I graduated from the Academy. I took care of Polly after she was rescued, but my girlfriend, Emily, took care of her when she was—oof!"

Delighted with what JJ was telling them, Charlotte and Quinlan hugged her and thanked her.

Cho was politely confused. "What's happening?"

"We were in New York this week," JJ explained after she let the twins go. "And to make a long story short, the twins' niece, Polly, was one of a group of kids who were abducted. The bad guys were put away and all the kids were brought back to their families, including Polly. We met some of her family, but Charlie and Q weren't even in town."

"I'm glad the story ended well, but," Cho looked at the two younger women. "Where were you two when everything was happening back home?"

With a very straight face, Quinlan gave an answer. "We were on vacation in Florida, but our mom assured us that everything was well-in-hand after the FBI showed up to help."

"Well, alright then." Cho sat back down. "How long between getting back to New York and then coming to D.C.?"

"About a day."

JJ suddenly realized that Haley's friends had no doubt come to Washington, D.C. for a very important reason, but neither had said what it was yet.

"Why are you visiting the Hotchners, anyway? And how did you cross paths with Haley in the first place?"

Quinlan didn't get a chance to answer because Haley returned with Penelope, and made more introductions. When the Fitzgeralds found out that Penelope had aided in Polly's return, they gave her the same treatment they'd given JJ, and the atmosphere was more cheerful after that.

"You guys, look!" Haley held up two transparent containers of baked goods. "Penelope brought snacks!"

JJ raised an eyebrow at the woman in question as she sat across the table from her. "Penelope Sara Joy, how did you make this much stuff? Didn't Haley _just_ call?"

"I was having a baking day today, but Derek told me to get rid of as much stuff as possible, otherwise he's going to get fat!"

As JJ and Cho had a laugh at that, Charlotte remarked to their host, "We like your friends, Lee. Time to tell them why we're here and why you asked them to come?"

"Not yet. I'm going to check on the dessert. Keep talking to them."

Haley turned on her heel and went back to the kitchen, leaving JJ, Cho, and Penelope to wonder what was really happening.

"Is this your whole posse?" Charlotte asked. "Other than your team, I mean?"

JJ shook her head. "We're one person short—my girlfriend isn't here. She's also pregnant, by the way."

"You said her name is Emily, right?"

"Mhm, and she would love you both already. I sure do."

"I'll second that." Cho added.

"I'll third it." Penelope chimed in before turning to JJ. "Why _is_ Gumdrop not here?"

"She's bogged _way_ down by hiccups. 'Anti-social' is the phrase."

"Gotcha. Bumblebee hiccups all the time now."

"Bumblebee?"

Penelope tapped her middle and received an elbow an elbow jab. "This is Bumblebee, and she has a _real_ name now."

JJ made to ask what it was, but was derailed when Haley came back, announcing that the dessert—a homemade chocolate cake—was cooling and that it was finally time to eat.

"Lee," Charlotte said in exasperation as Haley sat down with everyone. "Can we please tell them why we're in town?"

JJ held her hands in the time-out position. "Emily and I met your parents in New York, and your mother told us that you two are almost twenty-five now, but I'm dying to know how you guys met Haley."

For as long as JJ had known Aaron Hotchner's wife, she'd known that Haley was a nurse who specialized in labor and delivery, but she also knew that Haley was quite a bit older than her. She wasn't sure if she'd ever known the exact number.

"Believe it or not," Haley said as they all worked on rising food out for themselves. "It wasn't because of anything medical-related. We met at a Star Trek convention in Manhattan a few years ago."

Penelope perked up at that—she was an avid Trekker. "Who were you dressed as?"

"That is neither here nor there." Haley said quickly. "The point is that we all hit it off so quickly that we decided to go hang out somewhere else to get drinks and food."

"And you all are friends for life now?"

"Yes, we are. Aaron and Jack are fond of them, too."

Cho spoke up. "I just know that I'm the oldest one at this table, so I'm going to just lay those cards on the table right now, but Haley, how old are you?"

Haley, as was her way, answered cryptically. "Long enough to have known JJ since she was eighteen and starting to come to the most basic introductory classes at the Academy."

"And here I am, having known her since she was ten…"

JJ coughed pointedly. "Still at the table!"

"Righto." Cho said to her. "Sorry, Strawberry."

JJ immediately turned red. "Could you _not?"_

Nearby, Penelope became gleeful. "Is that supposed to be short for Strawberry Shortcake, like the cartoon? Because if it is, Emily is missing the best day ever!"

Cho gave Penelope a cheeky grin. "The answer is totally yes."

JJ just wanted to blend into her chair. "Will someone please be mature and get back to the topic at hand?"

Haley had mercy and steered the conversation back in the right direction. "Charlotte and Quinlan are live-in nannies, and they're going to be nannies for Jack and the baby. My sister was going to help us, but her husband's firm just transferred him to California, so they aren't here anymore."

A lightbulb went off over JJ's head and she looked over at Charlotte. "Then Haley mentioned that she has four pregnant friends, and you guys became curious about us?"

"Yes, and we've nannied for multiple families before. Aaron and Haley wouldn't even mind if their house was home base."

"It's true." Haley added.

"I can say right now that my husband would be on board," Cho said thoughtfully. "And my baby boys are due any day now. I'm a stay-at-home mom, but I sometimes have to travel out of town with Archer."

Quinlan looked at Penelope. "What about you and your beau? Haley said his name is Derek?"

"Yeah, that's him, and we're getting married next summer. He'll totally like you both when I make the introductions, but he'll be on board, too."

"Great!"

Charlotte moved her gaze to JJ, since they were close to each other at the table. "What about you and Emily?"

"I _love_ the sound of all of this, especially because these kinds of opportunities don't just fall out of the sky. I'll introduce you two to her when she's having a better day, but I know she'll agree, as well. Why don't you tell us about the different families you've nannied for?"

Charlotte and Quinlan Fitzgerald happily regaled their friends in their adventures of their different nannying experiences over the years.

* * *

"Hey," Quinlan said at one point after they were done eating. "Do any of your babies have names yet?"

"Ours does!" Haley beamed. "We're expecting a girl, and her name is Imogen Lindsey. Those are family names, and Jack already calls her Immie."

"That really cute." Cho told her before giving an answer to Charlotte and Quinlan. "Our kids have Japanese names names, as I'm from Tokyo and grew up there, but they have English middle names. Our firstborn's full name is Kaida Cassandra-Mae Rosaline Jareau. Her middle names are for my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law, who is no longer with us."

"What are your sons' names?" Penelope wanted know.

"We're still hammering out middle names, but their first names are Hikaru and Kenji."

Cho wanted to say more, but as if they knew they were being talked about, Hikaru and Kenji began kicking their mother with such intensity that she had to sit back and focus on calming them down.

Penelope used that to work her way in to the conversation. "My turn! Bumblebee is being named for mine and Derek's mothers; her full name is Honor Francine Morgan!"

JJ smiled. "That's two girls and two boys now."

"Care to bring that count up?"

"We're keeping the middle names to ourselves, but Emily is carrying Henry, and I have Alexis and Olivia."

"A baby prince and two baby princesses—how darling."

"Uh-huh…"

JJ's mind had suddenly gone other places as a new thought popped into her head.

It was Haley who brought her back to reality. "Okay, what? Spill before I clear the table so I can bring the dessert out."

"Well, I don't know about Charlie and Q, but the rest of us are in serious relationships."

"And you're curious about how each of us was proposed to."

JJ nodded, almost shy. "That's correct."

Haley got to her feet and said with a wink, "As soon as Charlotte, Quinlan, and I bring this things back to the kitchen and bring out dessert, we can get started on that part. You three just keep talking together."

Taking the hint, Charlotte and Quinlan rose and helped Haley out, leaving JJ, Penelope, and Cho to talk amongst themselves.

This was turning out to be a really great night.


	45. Forty Four

JJ left the House Of Hotchner in a very pleasant mood and armed both with leftovers for Emily and ideas on how to propose to her. When she returned to the Prentiss House, she was quite surprised to see that she and Elizabeth were the only ones home.

"Where did Max and Emily go?" she asked when Elizabeth sat with her in the living room after putting the leftovers away for her.

"Max took Emelia out to dinner about an hour after you left. He wanted to cheer her up."

"The hiccups got worse, didn't they?"

"She hiccuped when I carried her, but not this frequently at all. " Elizabeth smiled at her. "But it's just as well that it's you and I."

JJ arched an eyebrow. "Is it?"

"I have something important to show you, Jennifer."

Heart hammering because Elizabeth almost never called her by her actual name, JJ watched as the older woman plucked a small black box off the coffee table and hand it to her.

"Open it." Elizabeth said softly.

JJ opened the box to a very beautiful diamond engagement ring.

She looked back at her companion. "This ring is beautiful!"

"Thank you." Elizabeth smiled fondly. "It belonged to my mother, and she gave it to Maximo."

"And this is the ring he proposed to you with?"

"Uh-huh, and we decided, after Emelia was born, to save it for the person she marries, and that's you, my dear. Did you know that you're the only person whom she has ever brought to home to meet Max and I?"

Ring box in hand, JJ shook her head, suddenly feeling very dazed. "I had no idea."

Elizabeth closed the box and then closed JJ's fingers over it. "You and Emelia save that ring, alright? You save it for whomever comes asking first to marry one of your children, but first make sure that that person is your offspring's soulmate."

"Emelia is _mine…"_

Elizabeth's heart swelled with affection. Oh, how she loved JJ like she was her own.

"And I'll always be _so_ glad and thankful that you two found each other, even though you weren't even trying to. Some of the best surprises in life come that way."

"I—oh, come on! Really, you two? Please calm down for mommy!"

Not at all thrilled with how quiet things were, Alexis and Olivia decided to make things exciting again by kicking their mother.

"They really don't like when things are too quiet." JJ blew out a breath as she leaned back against the couch cushions. "They were very quiet at work, and just now at Haley's, they were fast asleep. It's like they've gotten jumpier ever since we gave them their names."

Elizabeth immediately perked up. "Are you and Emelia sharing yet? I would love to know so I can make them each something."

JJ glided her hands over bump, framing it. "Alexis and Olivia are in here."

"Two baby girls?"

"Mhm, and they're identical, so we're going to have a hell of a time telling them apart."

Expecting JJ to tell her the name of a third granddaughter, Elizabeth asked, "Who does Emelia have in her belly?"

"Sweet baby Henry."

Elizabeth's heart caught in her throat. "Two girls and a boy?"

"Yes, and—Lizzie, are you crying?"

Indeed, the ambassador had become teary-eyed, and was wiping her tears now.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." she said after a moment. "I was expecting you to say the name of a third baby girl, so hearing you say Henry's name took me by surprise."

"In a good way, right?"

"Of course." Elizabeth patted her hand affectionately, although it ended with a gentle squeeze. "I miscarried three times before Emelia was born. Has she ever said anything about that?"

"As I recall, she told me that she was the last chance that you and Max had to be parents, but she never said how many came before her."

"She has three brothers up in Heaven right now."

JJ's heart filled with sorrow and sympathy. "Do they have names?"

"Maximo Junior, Tobias, and Gabriel." Elizabeth looked a little distant as she thought of her angel babies. "I'm not playing favorites, or anything, so don't think this is that, but…"

Her words trailed off, like she was embarrassed, but JJ understood what she was driving at.

"But seeing Henry and knowing him will be like seeing how _your_ boys could have turned out."

"Exactly."

JJ smiled. "That's really sweet and understandable."

Elizabeth smiled at JJ and then checked the time on her watch. "We have quite some time before Max and Emelia are due back. Would you like to do something together?"

"I would love to."

Twenty minutes later, JJ had put the ring away in her luggage for safekeeping and channel-surfing with Elizabeth. It often seemed that the two of them bonded well when some kind of media was being used, whether it was the TV or the piano, but it worked for them and they liked it.

Even as they passed the time just by talking about different things, JJ for the first time considering her name as Jennifer Abigail Grace _Prentiss._

* * *

After that night, JJ felt like she'd blinked and it was time for the gathering of their families.

"Has anyone arrived yet?"

"My mom and Kaida are almost here."

"Kaida isn't coming with Archer and Cho?"

JJ shook her head. "Cho is resting at home while Archer collects Cho's parents from a quick event they had to attend that was near the White House. My mom hasn't seen Kaida since Alabama, so she wanted some one-on-one time with her since she's going to be staying for awhile."

"To help when Cho has the babies?"

"Yeah. She wants to make sure that someone is paying attention to her since the rest of us are busy with our lives."

"Translation: she's a little bit lonely in Pennsylvania?"

"Just a little."

They stopped walking and JJ looked at her girlfriend; this whole time, they'd been making their way down the main upstairs hallway with Emily hobbling along on her crutches and trying not to be too self-conscious about the awkward gait that the medical boot gave her. The couple was dressed and ready for their family, but at that particular moment, they had to get back down to the main floor. Staircases always gave Emily pause.

"It's okay, babe." JJ soothed. "Just take your time."

"Is my chair at the bottom?"

JJ pointed to the foot of the stairs where Emily's wheelchair was waiting for her, just off to the side.

"It's there." JJ lovingly looked Emily in the eyes. "Now how about you put the crutches of the way and we work on getting you to the chair?"

Saying no would have just made her sound childish, so she did as JJ suggested and then proceeded to work with her on accomplishing her goal.

"I can do this."

"Yes, you can." JJ agreed encouragingly. "Trust me."

With a lot of careful stepping and patience, Emily made it down the stairs and into the safety of her wheelchair.

When she settled and they got her foot elevated, JJ kissed her on the top of her head and chirped, "There you go! All ready!"

Emily giggled. "You're doing it again!"

"Doing what?"

"Tapping into your southern accent."

JJ turned red. "Goddamit…"

"Curb your curses!" came a new voice.

JJ and Emily turned to see Elizabeth and Maximo entering the room, both with eyebrows raised.

Elizabeth out her hands on her hips and pressed, "What was the curse for? Need I remind you two that your _elementary-aged_ niece is en route?"

Around a snicker, Emily provided, "JJ is packed with language quirks like we are, yes, but at work, the team learned about a new one a little bit ago when we crossed paths with her family in Alabama."

"And this particular quirk would be what?"

"She has a southern accent that automatically kicks in whenever Sandy is around because of _where_ in the south Sandy is from."

"JJ has a heavy accent, too, huh?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, but since you've spent a lifetime deciphering daddy's, then this will be a breeze. It was for me."

Quite amused by now, Elizabeth turned to JJ. "Does it go that you grew up in Pennsylvania sounding like your mother, but you lost your twang somewhere along the way?"

JJ's face was burning more than ever, and when she answered the question, the changes in her dialect and tone were impossible to miss. "This was when I spent two college semesters at school in California, and now it comes back like a reflex when I'm with my mom. Russian and French do, too, so I apologize in advance if we confuse anyone."

"When do things go 'back to normal,' for lack of a better way to put things?"

"When one of us goes home."

"Anyone else on the guest list for tonight come with trivia facts that we should know about? I think we'll be able to handle anyone speaking a foreign language as a reflex because Max and I are like that with Italian—it's what we speak when it's just us in the house."

"My brother and his family speak Japanese and English at home because they're a duo-language family. Archer has a southern accent, too, by the way, and it's even heavier than mine. Kaida has a twang that suits her because she's a little bit of a diva, but it can be a little bit of a head-scratcher if you aren't expecting it."

"Got it."

"Lars is back!"

Elizabeth, Emily, and JJ jumped at Maximo's exclamation—they'd already forgotten he was there.

The elder Prentisses had sent Lars to collect Sandy and Kaida from Sandy's hotel, and like a little excited boy, Maximo had gone to look out the window by the front door for a sign of the town car coming back to the house.

At the same time, JJ's phone beeped with a new text.

"And Cho just said that she, her parents, and Archer are on their way, too!"

Elizabeth immediately beckoned to her husband. "Come away from the window, my love."

"Go!" Emily made shooing motions at her parents. "Go, go, go!"

"Please?" JJ tacked on for good measure.

Elizabeth laughed and looked to her husband. "Come on, Maximo—I think the children want us to vacate."

"We do!" Emily and JJ said in unison.

Elizabeth and Maximo left to the kitchen, just as the door from the garage to the house began opening.

It was show time!


	46. Forty Five

One of the maids went to open the door, but JJ did, instead politely requesting that she go help in the kitchen. Heeding her words, the maid left, allowing JJ to open the door.

Kaida was the first person over the threshold, and even though she still had on her coat, mittens, and boots, she squealed with delight when she saw JJ.

"Auntie Jenny, we're here!" she hugged her. "Nana and me—what was _that?"_

Kaida took a step back and shook her head, trying to clear it; she'd just been kicked in the side of the head.

JJ laughed as she massaged her bump. "That was one of your cousins telling you hello and happy birthday."

Kaida lit up. "May I hug my cousin again?"

"Thank you for being so polite, and you may, but it looks like your hands are full." JJ observed.

Indeed, Kaida had come bearing a gift, and she showed them to JJ, giggling, "Flowers for Auntie Emmy's parents! Will they like them?"

"Oh yes, baby angel. Now how about you go hang out with Auntie Emmy? I bet she can hold them for you while you take your outside things off."

Kaida thought this was a good idea and was a little taken aback to see Emily in a wheelchair, but after Emily promised her she wasn't broken, Kaida got over her nerves and went over to her, leaving JJ free to talk to her mother.

"Hi, mom!" JJ chirped. "I'm so happy to see you, and happy birthday!"

Sandy had already put her things away and was now surveying her baby girl. Her hair and make up were done very nicely, but the real emphasis was on that JJ was wearing: she had on silver flats, black dress pants, and a dark purple-colored blouse that really showed off the size of her baby bump. In Sandy's eyes, her daughter was adorable and glowing.

"Thank you, and I'm so happy to see _you!"_ Sandy hugged JJ and motioned towards her bump. "How are you and the babies?"

"We're doing wonderfully, and the kids just got extra jumpy. Maybe it's because they're smelling everything that Emily's parents made."

JJ put her hands in the small of her back to offset the extra weight as best she could and blew out a breath as she got pushed by Alexis' hands and nudged by Olivia's knees.

"Feel this, mom." JJ took her mother's hands and put them over the area where Alexis and Olivia were kicking the most. "I can never get enough."

Just like when JJ had let Elizabeth feel her bump, the twins kicked for their other grandmother, thrilled to hear a new voice.

"Wow." Sandy remarked in awe. "Maybe they'll take up soccer, just like you did."

JJ immediately pinched the bridge of her nose. "For the sake of my sanity and Emily's, I hope that if they don't all take up quiet, normal _nerdy_ hobbies like chess or the debate team, that it's just _one_ of them of them that goes that route."

Sandy just laughed in amusement before moving on to Emily.

She was definitely delighted to see her and she hugged her, but when it came to her injuries, she turned into an anxious mother hen.

"First Jenny's _arm,_ and now your _leg?"_

"My ankle, too."

Sandy sighed and made a sign of the cross. "Where were you when this happened?"

"Ironically, New York again."

"Of _course!"_ the older woman threw her hands up, almost in a way of resignation. "Is anything broken?"

Emily shook her head. "No, but my leg is bruised and my ankle is definitely sprained."

Sandy expressed her sympathy, recalling all of the bumps, breaks and bruises she'd had over the years. "I'm sorry, Emily. Is Jenny taking care of you?"

 _"Rehabilitating_ me, but yes."

Emily's usage of the word 'rehabilitating' didn't escape Sandy's notice and she realized that there was definitely a story there, but chose not to press the matter since Kaida was in the room.

"Well, good. How is the baby?"

Emily lit up at the mention of her son, smiling broadly when she felt him turn over. "Very happy, especially because Kaida began doti—"

 _DING DONG!_

"I'll get it!" JJ said as she hurried over to the front door.

She opened it to let in the rest of her family, and when she let them in, she hugged Archer and Cho before turning to Cho's parents, hugging them, as well.

Toshio and Sakura were both in their mid-sixties now, and had also known JJ since she was ten. Though they were technically the parents of her sister-in-law, they had always loved her like a granddaughter, and had always been very proud of their accomplishments. It did their hearts very well to see that she had a family of her own. What JJ didn't come to appreciate about Toshio and Sakura until she was older was that they mirrored her Alabama relatives in that he was a business president and she was his companion, traveling with him and keeping the books. JJ hadn't seen them since the trip to Tokyo Disneyland, and that had already been over a year ago.

"Thank you so much for coming!" she told them.

"Well, we were already coming to meet our new grandsons," Toshio said. "And we've been curious about the rest of your family, Emily in particular."

He passed her to Sakura, who hugged JJ warmly.

"And besides," she added. "It's your mother's birthday and Kaida's birthday, as well, so there's no way that we'd miss a chance to celebrate those, especially now that the whole family is in town."

JJ just smiled, and when the older couple put their things away, she noticed Toshio pick up a tote bag full of a number of brightly wrapped parcels. She was curious about the, but she forced herself to stay on topic.

"Would you like to come meet Emily before we all go to see her parents?"

"Of course!" they said in unison.

Quite pleased, JJ led them over to the others and addressed her girlfriend first.

"Em, these are Cho's parents, Toshio and Sakura Kanagawa. I've known them since I was ten, and they've always loved me like a granddaughter."

"Wow." Emily held out a hand to them. "Hello! I'm so happy to meet you!"

"And we're so happy to meet you, dearheart." Cho told her as they shook hands with her. "We've heard stories about you from Sandy, and it's very lovely to finally meet the person whom Strawberry has decided to spend the rest of her life with."

Emily immediately turned to her partner. "I get 'JJ' and 'Jenny,' but _Strawberry?_ Did you have a redhead phase at some point?"

JJ turned beet-red. "The only time I've ever had red hair was the period when I went to Coachella and Burning Man in the same year. Strawberry is an old childhood nickname that's been stuck with me for most of my life because my Strawberry Shortcake obsession that Rosaline started when I was three. It ended when I discovered Star Wars."

"You were _that_ kid?" Emily asked with a little too much glee.

JJ hung her head. "Oh, my God…"

Sandy cleared her throat when she saw how embarrassed JJ was getting. "How about we go find Emily's parents now?"

"Yes, please." JJ said, quickly commandeering Emily's wheelchair so she could push it for. "Follow us."

JJ's and Emily's family followed them down the hallway and into the kitchen. Maximo and Elizabeth were waiting, and when they saw everyone, they both became emotional.

In recent recent years, they'd finally given up on hoping that Emily would ever get married or have any children, but then in quick succession, she'd 1) come to them to tell them that she was going to start the process of IVF treatment, and in the spirit of helping her, they decided to fund as many attempts as her heart desired; 2) met and fallen in love with JJ; and 3) decided she wanted to marry JJ.

Now, she and JJ were at their house with the half of the family that accepted Emily into their fold without a second thought.

The sight was more than Maximo and Elizabeth could have ever hoped for, and it made them overjoyed.

They came back to earth when they saw Emily rolling her chair out of the way as JJ took the reigns of the conversation.

"Everyone," she said to the Jareaus and the Kanagawas. "These are Emily's parents, Maximo and Elizabeth Prentiss. They are as good as parents to me, and they even made everything on the menu tonight."

"We are so pleased to meet all of you." Elizabeth told them.

"So _very_ pleased." Maximo added. "Welcome to our family."

When the older members of the Jareau-Kanagawa clan thanked their hosts, JJ moved to the rest of the introductions.

"Max, Lizzie," JJ said as she began indicating the others. "You've already met my mom from that Skype session the other night, but this is my older brother, Archer and his wife, Cho, and Cho's parents, Toshio and Sakura. They've known me since I was ten and have treated me like a granddaughter ever since."

Emily's parents were dazzled by the new people, but at the end, Elizabeth spoke up, having kept track of all the names on her fingers the whole time.

"Sandy, Archer, Cho, Toshio, and Sakura make five, but there should be six. Where is Kaida?"

At this, Emily laughed. "She's hiding behind my chair, but I'm sure you can coax her out."

Remembering how shy Emily had been at that age, Elizabeth called out gently to her. "Will you please come out, Kaida? We heard that today is your birthday, and we have presents for you!"

Kaida withdrew from her hiding spot immediately and looked at Elizabeth in surprise as she brushed wrinkles out of her fluffy blue party dress.

"Really?"

Elizabeth nodded. "We also added some extra presents because we know that you're going to be a big sister soon!"

Kaida was taken aback, but remembered her manners. "Thank you! What do I call you?"

"Nana Lizzie, if you'd like. Do you want to come open a present before we eat?"

Kaida nodded and then plucked the flower bouquet from Emily's lap and presented them to Elizabeth.

"Look, Nana Lizzie! I brought irises flowers for you and Auntie Emmy's daddy!"

"Oh, thank you, sweetie—they're beautiful!" Elizabeth gushed. "Will you come help me pick out a vase? I've got a room where I keep all of them!"

Instantly intrigued, Kaida followed Elizabeth across the kitchen to a smaller, separate room where she kept her fine china, vases, and the like.

"We brought presents, too." Toshio said of the tote bag he still hand in his hand. "It's just something that we like to do."

Maximo turned to mush. "Well, why don't we see what you brought, hm? The dining room is just over this way."

He led them all to the dining room table, and when they sat around it, Cho's parents divvied up the presents and handed them out. When Elizabeth and Kaida returned, placing their vase of the freshly watered irises in the center of the table, Kaida was shown her presents, too, and she happily tore into a few.

Before long, the whole family was opening new gifts and showing each other what they'd gotten.

There was nothing but love and joy in the air.

Dinner could wait just a little bit longer.


	47. Forty Six

Dinner went very well that night, and the way Emily saw things from there on out, everything was right in her world, and she was even beginning to sketch out a serious proposal plan for later that week. She'd also gotten JJ to agree to sitting down to talk about wedding plans and house hunting before vacation was over.

As for JJ, she was was also hammering a proposal plan that involved her easily securing reservations at Emily's favorite restaurant for later that week.

At the moment, all JJ wanted to do was just sit with Emily and at least talk about planning the babies' nurseries, but... the day had quite an adventure in store for them.

The beginning of the adventure unfolded with a phone call.

"Archie, hi!" JJ said in surprise when she answered the phone. "What's up? I'm still at the Prentiss house with Emily."

"I know this is very last minute, but can you and Emily look after Kaida today?"

"Of course, but what about everyone else?"

"Well, for starters, one of mom's old friends is in town, and they're catching up."

"Oh?" JJ said interestedly. "Who?"

"Aunt Cecelia."

Archer's words were said with a shudder, but with reason—Cecelia Szymański was from the old neighborhood in Pennsylvania, and, at least amongst the neighborhood kids, had always been referred to as the crazy lady at the end of the lane. JJ and her siblings had never figured out how their mother and Cecelia Szymański had even become friends, and they always dreaded being babysat by her.

"Copy that. Staying out of their way today."

"Good. Toshio and Sakura are here at the house with Cho right now because she's on lockdown." There was a brief pause, and then Archer added, "Haley Hotchner just came in to hang out, too. It's her day off."

"I'm glad they're becoming friends. Is Cho having contractions yet?"

"No, but it's any day now, and she's determined for the boys to come before the doctors have to induce her. Plus, what friends we do have here are all at work. A squirrelly Kaida cooped up in the house all day is not fun."

"Meaning that that leaves us, but don't worry—we'll keep her for as long as you need; just come pick her up after work. We'll even make dinner if things run late." (Beside JJ, Emily was listening and casting a wary eye at her, trying to figure out what they were being volunteered for) "Anything on the agenda in particular that we should know about?"

"Actually, Kaida is going to a birthday party the day after tomorrow, after school, but she needs to get a present for her friend and a new outfit because she's going through a growth spurt. Would you and Emily be willing to take her? We've already set aside some cash because Cho won't hear of money being spent out of your pocket since this is an errand we didn't have a chance to get to because Kaida was given the invitation by a classmate last week. She's been talking about it every day since."

"You're family, Archie, and we're glad to help out, but I just have one question."

"Why isn't Kaida at school?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Staff development day—you and Emily will have to learn about it in five years or so when you send your kids to school for the first time."

"Stop it!" JJ whined at her brother. "Don't put those ideas in my head before you get here!"

"So that's a definite yes?"

JJ laughed immediately. "Uh-huh. See you in awhile."

JJ hung up her phone and looked over at Emily, who had yet to stop erring on the side of wariness.

"Okay, what did you sign us up for?"

"You and I are going to take Kaida shopping for a party outfit and a birthday present because she got a last-minute invitation to a birthday party last week, and then time got away from Archer and Cho."

"Are we babysitting Kaida, too?"

JJ nodded. "Until Archer gets back from work—it turns out that Kaida has the day off today. Cho is on 'lockdown' at their house because she could go into labor at any moment now. Her parents and Haley are keeping her company."

"What about your mother?"

"Still in town, but catching up with an old friend who is passing through today."

"So Kaida's day would probably be very boring, if not for us?" Emily mused.

"You got it."

"Does this officially make us the 'fun aunts with credit cards,' then?"

"Oh, absolutely. You game? Sorry to do this without warning."

Emily shrugged. "Like you told Archer, we're family, and since those of us with kids are local now, I'm sure that this is the first of many last-minute babysitting favors that will happen, especially because between you, me, and Cho, our parents have six grandbabies to look forward to—that's half a dozen! I can't wait to see Kaida again and hang out with her!"

JJ leaned over and kissed Emily's cheek. "I love you so much."

Emily reciprocated the affection. "Right back at you, babe."

Smiling, JJ straightened herself up again and tried to stand, but was unsuccessful because her six-month belly was in the way, and the more she moved, the more Alexis and Olivia kicked, thinking it was a game.

Luckily, Elizabeth happened to be passing through the living room at that moment, intending to go to her office; Maximo was already gone for the day and she preferred to stay in her office when he was wasn't around. Seeing JJ struggle, she stopped and helped her up.

"Oh, I remember those days; Emelia kicked me like nothing else." she clucked as she righted JJ and helped her catch her balance. "Are you two planning something?"

"Mhm." JJ confirmed. "Archer is dropping Kaida off here because she needs to be looked after for the day by someone who will actually be fun, and who will take her shopping for a birthday party the day after tomorrow."

"And we're happy to help out." Emily added before holding her hands out to Elizabeth. "Help me into my chair, mother? Please?"

Elizabeth obliged and when Emily became settled, Elizabeth stepped out to the next room, telling them that she was going to call the chauffeur for them.

Not long after that, Archer arrived with Kaida. Unsurprisingly, the little one was first in through the door.

"Hi, Auntie JJ!" Kaida hugged her aunt around her big middle and looked up at with her with excitement. "How are you and my cousins?"

JJ stroked Kaida's hair affectionately. "We're _so_ happy, and _totally_ ready to go shopping!"

"Me, too!" Kaida backed up and looked around. "Wait, where's Auntie Emmy?"

"Still getting ready, and Nana Lizzie is helping her." JJ motioned to the backpack that Kaida was carrying. "Maybe if you go find them, they'll help you find a place to put your backpack."

Enticed by the task, Kaida dashed off, calling for Emily and Elizabeth.

"Jenny," Archer said, turning back to JJ. "Are you sure you guys can manage it?"

JJ nodded and supported the underside of her middle with both hands. "Positive, Archer. I've got two months left, and Emily has three. We'll be fine."

He raised an eyebrow. "You two still don't have a house yet, though, have you? The house next to ours is up for sale."

JJ gave her brother and thumb's down and made a noise akin to blowing a raspberry. "I know that you and I only lived in the same house for only the first eight years of my life, but still that'll be the day when I move next door to my overprotective big brother!"

"This is because we live next to the Hotchners, isn't it?"

"Yes!"

Laughing, Archer pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket and handed it to JJ.

"Here's the spending money from Cho and I. Toshio and Sakura added in the fifties when Cho wasn't looking, so this is two hundred bucks now."

"Noted." JJ stuck the envelope in her purse, leaning against the wall on a nearby side table, and checked her watch. "Don't you have to get to work?"

"I make my own hours, but I had to make sure the girls were squared away first, especially Kaida." he paused, taking note of the quiet. "Where is she?"

JJ showed Archer to the living room and watched him say goodbye to Kaida before seeing him back out to his car.

After that, the next few minutes were filled with the chauffeur helping Emily from the house to the town car he had waiting in the garage, and Elizabeth pulling JJ aside for a moment.

"As I understand it from Archer, he and Cho, and Cho's parents gave you spending money for your shopping expedition?"

Her purse hanging off her shoulder, JJ patted it. "Two hundred dollars."

"Allow me to round things up a little more."

Elizabeth handed JJ a one hundred dollar bill and a fifty dollar bill.

"A-are you sure?" JJ stuttered.

"One hundred percent." Elizabeth told her, watching as she out the money away. "You're as good as my baby girl, JJ, and Kaida is now as good as a grandbaby, even though neither of her parents are biologically related to me. Since I can't come along to help spoil her, I want to help add to the fund that already is—get that sweet girl an extra outfit and a new pair of shoes for me."

"We can do that, and I think Emily will be very happy to help get her new shoes."

It was no secret that Emelia Magdalene Prentiss had an enormous shoe collection.

"That's for sure." Elizabeth quipped.

JJ nodded in agreement, and then in a bout of spontaneity, hugged Elizabeth. Surprised, but not displeased, Elizabeth returned the hug, reminded of how affectionate Emily had been as a small child.

"What was that about?" the ambassador wanted to know.

JJ shrugged. "Just because."

"I'll take that." Elizabeth hugged JJ again before giving her a pat on the arm. "Now go be with your family and have a good time."

"I will."

JJ turned and left out of the house to the town car, where everybody was waiting for her.

Little did any of them know that the rest of the day's adventure was already unfolding.


	48. Forty Seven

Kaida was thrilled to pieces to have time with JJ and Emily because she adored them both, but was also equally thrilled to be adding to her wardrobe, because if anything, Kaida Jareau was a budding fashionista.

As far as the birthday party went, it was for her classmate, Kendra Fujimoto. According to Kaida, Kendra was the first friend she'd made at school after her family's move to D.C., and they were even in the same class together at the local language center where they were schooled further in the ways of the Japanese language and culture. When they were together, Kaida and Kendra were inseparable, which led Kaida to finding out that her friend was just like her, and not only in to fashion, but arts and crafts, too. In a phrase, Kaida Jareau and Kendra Fujimoto were two peas in a pod.

* * *

That was why JJ, Emily, and Kaida found themselves in the mall's toy store as the last stop on their outing—it housed a large arts and crafts area. It was even Kaida's favorite spot in the large venue.

After she picked out a card for Kendra, she went straight over to the kit section of the arts and crafts area, and with her aunts' help, she picked out craft kits for making pillows and quilts, dolls, and friendship bracelets. Kaida was quite pleased by the haul and assured JJ and Emily that Kendra would be, too.

Just as they finished getting the packages gift-wrapped, Kaida turned away from the register and looked towards the entrance of the shop, feeling puzzled by a sight in front of her, just outside in the hall.

"Kaida, what's wrong?" JJ asked when they caught up to her.

"Look!" she pointed ahead. "It's Kendra, but she's got a _baby!"_

JJ and Emily followed their niece's line of sight to see the little girl appearing utterly bewildered and trying to do the best that she could to hold on to a very wiggly baby girl in her arms. Kendra even had a backpack of some kind on her back.

"Kaida," JJ addressed her niece. "I need you to think really hard about a question I'm going to ask you—does Kendra have any little siblings?"

"No; she has three big brothers, and they're all in middle school."

"Anything else?"

"I told her about you and Auntie Emmy, so she knows you're good!"

"Thank you, sweetie; that's a huge help!" JJ gave her a quick hug and then extracted her FBI badge from her purse where it was hanging on the back of Emily's chair. "You stay here with Auntie Emmy, okay? I'll be right back!"

For luck, the little girl blew her a kiss, and then very carefully because she still didn't know what was happening, and because she didn't want to spook either of the children, she approached Kendra.

"Who are you?" Kendra asked suspiciously as JJ drew near.

"My name is JJ," she explained, showing her her badge. "And I work for the FBI. Do you know what that is?"

Kendra nodded, still suspicious. "The _super special_ police. Are you _Kaida's_ JJ?"

"Yes, I am, and she's right over there." JJ pointed her out, and without missing a beat, the other girl waved to her friend. "Are you lost?"

Kendra shook her head and tightened her grip on her tiny companion. "There's a mean man in that store behind me, and he told all of the kids to get out. We were the only ones, but I don't even know her name!"

Poor Kendra looked like she was on the verge of tears, but hadn't started crying yet because she was in mild state of shock. JJ erred even more on the side of caution when she noticed this.

Right at that moment, however, three things happened: the automatic iron grid door behind Kendra slid shut, trapping the customers inside while what appeared to be a masked man waved a gun threateningly about as he herded the customers and employees to the front of store where they could all be seen; a few people started running down the hallway in fear as one of the people in front yelled something about serious fights breaking out; and two pairs of hands pulled JJ and her tiny companions out of harm's way just as the small mob rushed by.

When they passed, JJ looked up to see Charlotte and Quinlan Fitzgerald. They were laden down with shopping bags, but also had Jack Hotchner in tow, although he was riding Quinlan piggyback with his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist, interlocking himself in place.

"What's happening?" JJ was genuinely surprised. "Where did _you_ three come from?"

"Doesn't matter." Charlotte said quickly. "Where is Emily?"

"In the toy store with our niece. Come on."

They all hurried back in to the toy store just as the manager closed and locked the door behind them and a few other last-second stragglers. The rest of the store occupants were huddled together, trying to figure out what to do.

As JJ relived Kendra of the baby (Kendra's arms were getting tired) and hoisted her on to her hip so she could hold her better, she looked around the store. There weren't too many people to begin with because it was a Monday morning, and Kaida's and Kendra's elementary school was the only one in the district with a day off, so both of them, along with the baby girl Kendra had been given to look after, and Jack Hotchner were the only kids in the store, not counting the unborn ones being carried by her and Emily.

As for the adults, JJ counted herself, Emily, Charlotte, and Quinlan, two cashiers, the manager, and three other customers. All of the adults were checking their phones, but...

"Is anyone getting service?" JJ asked as she and Emily tried theirs.

There was a chorus of "No!" in response as one of the cashiers reported that none of the store phones were working, either.

JJ promptly turned to Emily and said in an undertone, "If even the landlines are dead, that means that someone's using a powerful frequency jammer and that the fights are connected to whatever's happening in the store that the girls just left. Plus, this also means that we can't reach anyone outside, like Hotch and Rossi. What do we do?"

"Batten down the hatches and pray that whatever this is, it catches their attention quickly."

The blond nodded, and then remembering that she was holding a baby, she looked down at her. She was dressed for the weather outside, and by JJ's estimation, was no more than five months old. The baby had been resting her head on JJ's shoulder, but when she looked up and smiled at her, JJ had a start.

"JJ, what?" Emily asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not quite a ghost, but definitely someone I thought I'd never see again."

JJ motioned between her love and her itty-bitty charge.

"Emily, Kendra found _Zooey."_

Emily's heart skipped a beat. "Oregon Zooey?"

"Oregon Zooey." JJ confirmed.

Emily leaned back in her chair and blew out a breath. "You sure?"

JJ nodded and showed her a spot on the inside of the Zooey's right wrist—it was a bright red splotch in the shape of a z, funnily enough. "She's got the same portwine stain. I had Zooey for a week in Oregon, and this mark is one of things that has been burned into my brain about her."

Emily sighed again. "This going to be a _long_ day."

* * *

Back at the House of Jareau, everyone was in the front room, hanging out with Cho, and in this case, 'everyone' was both of her parents and Haley Hotchner. They were all chatting with each other with the television on in the background while they folded baby clothes and sorted a few things yet that needed to put into the twins' nursery. Cho appreciated the company, but she was feeling a little uneasy, although for once, it wasn't because of her expectant condition.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Haley asked, putting her hands on her hips. "You could go into labor at time now, so you can't be wrinkling your nose like you are unless it's show time."

Cho bobbed her head in understanding. "It just feels like something is a little off, but not with my baby boys. Where are Jack, Charlotte, and Quinlan?"

"Charlie and Q took him to Meadowbrook Mall for a 'shopping/get to know you' day. Why?"

"JJ and Emily took Kaida there today to get her prepared for a birthday party..."

"I—"

Before Haley could finish her answer, Cho wrinkled her nose again, but winced as she framed the underside of her middle with her hands.

 _"That_ was _definitely_ a contraction, Cho!"

"You're not wrong."

Cho's parents were immediately on alert, and Sakura pressed, "Sweetheart, do you want us to call Archer?"

"No, not yet—not util they're closer together because this could take all day, and he had to get some things done at the office." she steadied her breathing. "All things considered, I'm fine."

Her father spoke up. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Before that conversation could be furthered, the daytime show on the TV was interrupted by a Breaking News report. Cho, her parents, and Haley all quieted just in time to hear the reported speak.

"This just in: Meadowbrook Mall in Foggy Bottom is currently on lockdown right now for reasons that are currently unknown. If you have plans to go to Meadowbrook today, authorities are strongly advising to rescheduling them, or, if possible, to go elsewhere until further notice. If you have any family or friends at Meadowbrook Mall at this time, stay tuned to KXRD Channel 4 News for further updates. We now return to the regularly scheduled programming."

Haley put the TV on mute and turned to Cho: they were in the same boat in more ways than one, all of a sudden.

"Stay with me." Haley patteded her friend's cheek when she saw her drifting off into a state of quiet that would no doubt lead to panic. "You do your best to stay calm because one contraction or not, you are in labor. Do you understand?"

Surprisingly, Cho responded in a levelheaded tone. "Yes. What should I do?"

"Call JJ and Emily to see if you can get through to one of them. After that, call Archer."

"Got it." Cho picked up the nearby landline phone. "What are you going to do?"

"Call Charlotte and Quinlan to check on them and Jack, and then Aaron. Even though he's on vacation, he still went to work to write some reports; he wanted to get a little bit ahead of the game before they go back."

Wanting to be included, Sakura chimed in, "Haley, is there anything that Toshio and I can do to help?"

"Yes, actually. One moment."

Using a pen and nearby scratch paper, Haley quickly wrote down a few names and numbers before sticking the pen behind her ear and handing the paper to Sakura.

"These are the numbers for JJ's mother and both of Emily's parents. Please call them to make sure they know what's happeni—"

"Hello?" came a new voice as they heard the front door open and then shut as a newcomer entered the house and put their things away. "I'm sorry to barge in, Cho, but Archer called, and—"

Sandy had arrived, looking distressed, but she located her daughter–in–law and the others before she finished her sentence.

 _"What_ did Archer say?" Cho asked.

Out came an explanation about receiving Archer's phone call just after parting ways with her friend at the coffee shop downtown, and a strong advisement to get to his house as quickly as possible.

"He just didn't say _why,_ though." Sandy said at the end of her story as she sat in one of the armchairs next to the love-seat that Cho's parents were sitting on.

Haley dutifully brought Sandy up to speed on everything, including the part about Cho's contraction.

Reiterating that she fine, Cho tacked on for good measure, "I will tell you if anything changes, but for now, Haley is in charge. Ask her all of the important questions."

Indeed, Haley had taken charge of the situation without meaning to, but after spending the later half of her teenage years and then all of her adult life to date in first a relationship and then a marriage with Aaron Hotchner, she had over twenty years of experience of what do in a tense moment such as this one. (Being a labor and delivery nurse also had something to do with it) She had a system, and it was time to use it.

"Right." she said to Sandy. "You talk to Cho's parents, and they'll fill you in. Cho and I have some calls to make."

Sandy conveyed her understanding and moved her attention to them while Haley proceeded to call Charlotte, and Cho tried JJ's number first.

She put the phone to her ear just in time to hear the other line ringing. With her other hand, she caressed her middle where she could feel her sons kicking away, fed up with how cramped their living space was.

As Cho awaited the sound of JJ's voice, she found herself hoping that her sons would stay inside her womb where they were safe and warm for as long as possible because she had no idea what was happening with her family, and it scared her.


	49. Forty Eight

Over at the BAU building, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner was working with his nose to the grindstone on a few reports that were piling up on his desk. He really wanted to be at home, playing with Jack and catering to every last one of Haley's pregnancy-induced desires, the sillier the better, but when he mentioned the reports, Haley suggested that he take the day to catch up, so long as it was just that day and that he came home that night. Work would be off the table again until it was time to go back.

Surprised because it always irritated Haley when work was mixed with family life, Hotch said his goodbyes to his family at ten-thirty that morning and made the drive out to Quantico. When he arrived, he found that Rossi was already there, trying to work on a chapter for his next book.

All was well until a few hours later, when Haley called.

"Miss me already, Hales?" Hotch asked jokingly when he answered.

"Aaron, I need you to be serious." Haley said tensely. "Is anyone else in the office right now?"

"Dave is here. What's going on?"

"Fetch him, turn on the TV to a news channel, and put this phone on speaker. I'm not hanging up."

Heeding the seriousness of his wife's tone, Hotch did as he was asked, even collecting Rossi in record time.

As the older man quickly turned on the office TV to a news channel, Hotch sat back at his desk and put his phone on speaker.

"Haley, I'm here with Dave." he told her. "Will you please tell us what's going on?"

"There's a situation of some kind of going down at the mall in Foggy Bottom right now."

Hotch sat back in his chair. "Isn't that where Charlotte and Quinlan took Jack?"

"Yes, and they left out almost an hour after you did. Also, from what I understand, Emily and JJ are at the mall, too—they took their niece shopping."

"Excuse me? Haley, where are _you?"_

"Next door with Cho, because I've been hanging out with her. Her parents were already here, and Sandy Jareau arrived ten minutes ago."

Hotch rubbed his brow, trying to get his thoughts in order. "Okay, how is Imogen?"

Haley let out a breath and rubbed her middle as she felt a knee nail her near her navel. "Immie-girl is fine, but just kicking me like nothing else because I'm nervous about the situation, especially because Cho had a contraction."

By point, Hotch felt like his brain was going to melt, so Rossi seized the desk phone cradle and pulled it towards himself.

"Haley, it's Dave." he told her. "Have you tried reaching the others?"

"Yes—we've tried Charlotte, Quinlan, JJ, and Emily, but none of them are picking up, and it looks like even texts aren't going through. Would that be because of a jammer of some kind on their end?"

"Most likely. Is it just you, Cho, her parents, and JJ's mother at the house?"

"Actually…"

There was a brief pause on Haley's end of the connection and muffled voices before she spoke again.

"Emily's mom just showed up—she heard what was happening and headed over here, looking for JJ's mom."

"Do you know where Emily's father is?"

"According to Elizabeth, stuck at work, but watching the news."

"Okay." Rossi said. "Unless you have to go to the hospital because Cho's water breaks, or something, I want all of you to stay there and keep your eyes and ears pealed for updates."

"I understand, and I've apparently been put in charge over here, so call me with anything. Are you going to go rally the rest of the troops now?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Then will you please take the phone off speaker and give it to Aaron?"

"Sure thing, Haley. Hang on."

Rossi did as asked and then left to his office to start calling the rest of the team. He even closed the door behind him.

When Hotch was alone, he asked, "Haley, are you going to be alright?"

"I'm thinking about our boy. Aaron, Jack must be so scared."

This hadn't escaped Hotch's thoughts, either, and he was just as concerned as Haley was, but for the sake of the other occupants at the House of Jareau who were depending on her, and so as not to set off one of her crying jags, he decided to be the bigger person.

"He also isn't alone, either. He's with people you and I both trust."

"Yeah, that's true…"

"And I'm sure Emily and JJ would've no doubt found Jack, Charlotte, and Quinlan by now."

Haley was taken aback by that. "What? Why?"

"Even when they aren't trying, they're very adept at finding people—it's a talent of theirs. They'll keep Jack and anyone else near them as safe as they can for as long as they can. For that, and a variety of other reasons, I trust JJ and Emily each with my life, so I am completely confident in trusting them with Jack's life, too."

Hotch's words instilled reassurance in his wife, so she said, "Okay, Aaron. You and the others go bring the rest of the family home safe."

"We will. I love you so much, Haley. Given Imogen an extra pat for me."

She smiled, even though he couldn't see her, and wiped the tears forming in her eyes. She was completely unashamed that her friends were watching her.

Haley had long ago accepted that her husband's job was dangerous and she knew that every day, there was always that chance that she'd get a call that he'd been killed, but she felt compelled to ask a question that she'd asked him often ever since he joined the FBI. It was like a code to them.

"See you tonight?"

"See you tonight."

Hotch hung up first and took a few calming breaths to steady and center himself before he went to check on Rossi.

Within the hour, Penelope, Derek, and Spencer were at their office building, heading up in the elevator towards the sixth floor where they worked. None of them had been given specifics about what was happening, but they were all told to get to Quantico, post haste.

As Penelope and Derek were officially living together at Penelope's apartment while they looked for a place to officially call their own, they had arrived together. Spencer had been out running errands, but he still made it to the BAU building just in time to meet the others by the elevators in the lobby.

"Do either of you know why we were asked to come in on one of our days off?" he asked.

"Uh-uh." Derek said. "Any idea where Emily and JJ are?"

"No, but probably staying off the grid so they can recover from what happened this week."

"All I know," Penelope said as they disembarked from the lift when it arrived at their floor and they crossed the lobby into the bullpen. "Is that Rossi told me to make sure that I have my laptop and gear with me, but I never come here without any of that stuff."

Indeed, Penelope had her wheeled laptop case in tow.

"I guess we should really be prepared for what's coming."

The others nodded in agreement with her and entered the main office bullpen. It was very quiet, so they headed straight over to the meeting room, where they saw not only Hotch and Rossi, but Strauss, as well, since she wasn't on vacation and had already been in her own office.

When Penelope, Derek, and Spencer saw all three of their superiors all seated at the table, they took their seats quickly.

"Thank you all for joining us." began Strauss. "We have a bit of a situation at the Meadowbrook Mall in Foggy Bottom, and while this team has already been invited in, I advise that we all err strongly on the side of reason and caution."

Penelope put her hand over her heart. "Don't tell me—JJ and Emily are there."

"Jack, too, and his nannies." Hotch confirmed. "From what we've gathered so far, there is a masked unsub waving a gun around in the Barnes & Noble. The mall is on complete lockdown."

Tacked on Rossi, "There have also been reports at least two fights breaking out on two levels of the complex."

Derek raised his eyebrows. "That is no coincidence. I would lead a charge in if I wasn't recovering from surgery; do we have anything like a strike team helping us out?"

Strauss nodded. "Yes, and the local authorities are aware that our people are inside—they're being completely cooperative. That being said, even me joining your team for this case, we are still a few people short, so I've arranged for us to have a mobile command center and staff today. It should be here by now, and we will go straight to the scene."

Penelope looked to Hotch. "Sir, is there anything else we should know?"

"Nothing that can't be explained on the ride out."

He stood and looked at the other four.

"Everyone go gather what you need—we'll leave out from the lobby in five!"


	50. Forty Nine

Back at the mall, they weren't any closer to figuring out what was going on, but there was a new problem: except for Charlotte, Quinlan, and one of the other store patrons, the rest of the adults in the room were getting restless.

Besides the employees, they were in the company of a fry cook, an office clerk, and a student, all of whom had come to the toy store that morning for reasons of their own.

The student, a girl in her mid-teens with fair skin, freckles, extremely curly brown hair and big brown eyes framed with rimless oval-shaped glasses. She was dressed in some kind of club or league uniform of a white long-sleeved shirt, a tan vest covered in patches, matching shorts, white knee-high socks and brown snow boots (they were suffering from a long-lasting winter). A long snow jacket, gloves, a scarf, and a backpack were on the floor, near to where she stood.

"What do you all do?" she asked JJ and her posse.

Quinlan answered first, motioning between herself and her twin. "I'm Quinlan, and this is my sister, Charlotte. We're nannies."

"For one of the kids you came in with?"

Charlotte touched the top of their young charge's head. "This is Jack."

A little shy, Jack just buried his face in his nanny's side.

The girl cast a look at JJ and Emily. "What about you two?"

JJ answered the girl's question with a question. "What did you say your name was, again?"

"Sunday. Are you or your companion law enforcement? Statistics would say yes."

"We're both law enforcement, actually. My name is JJ, and my girlfriend's name is Emily. We both work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit for the FBI at Quantico."

Sunday was taken aback. "Really?"

"Really." JJ said as she and Emily pulled out their badges and showed them to her for proof before pocketing them again. "We're even on the same team."

Emily raised an eyebrow at Sunday. "Why so pensive, and how old are you?"

"I'm sixteen," she confessed. "And I've always been like this in a tense position. I'm also the oldest in my family because I've got three younger siblings—I'm used to being the peacemaker or the buffer."

Emily eyed Sunday's vest and noticed that the patches were merit badges.

"Are you a Girl Scout, Sunday?"

She nodded. "I'm a Senior Girl Scout, and I've been in the program since kindergarten."

"What were you doing today before you came here?"

"I was in a meeting at our building downtown because it's an in-service day for the teachers at school. I came shopping today to get a present for one of my siblings because it's almost his birthday."

Chatting with Sunday reminded Emily of her time with Polly in New York. She liked the teenager, and she was already acting as a peacemaker between the other store occupants and JJ, Emily, and their crowd since nobody else would.

"Sunday," Emily finally said. "I don't know how long we're all going to be in here, but I'm sure that the rest of our team from the FBI has figured out by now that something's wrong. Until they come, would you be willing to help JJ and I out?"

Sunday hadn't failed to notice the agents' pregnant bellies, Emily's handicapped state, or that they had two elementary-aged children, a toddler, and a small baby with them.

"Of course!" she answered.

Finally having reached his limit, Jack plopped down where he stood, and instead of crying, he got pouty.

"I want my mommy and my daddy." he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Sunday plucked a picture book off the shelf next to her and crouch a foot across from the little boy.

"Your name is Jack, right?"

"Yep."

"I'm Sunday."

Jack actually giggled and said shyly, "You're pretty."

Sunday blushed but quickly schooled herself. "Thanks, Jack. How old are you?"

He held up four fingers. "Three."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Now Jack was blushing. "A sister in my mommy's tummy at home."

"I have one brother and two sisters, but one of my sisters is brand new. The other one is three, just like you."

Jack stared at Sunday in astonishment—she'd blown his mind so much that he forgot about being huffy and grumpy anymore. Even Kaida and Kendra were watching in curiosity.

"What are they called?" he asked, letting go of Quinlan's hand and taking a few steps in Sunday's direction.

"My new sister is called River, and my other sister, the one who's three, goes by Delta. Know what?"

Jack was hanging on to every word, stepping even closer. "What, Sunday?"

"Delta and River _love_ when I read to them."

"I need to learn how so I can read to my sister when she comes." Jack said seriously. "I love her so much."

"I'm sure she knows, Jack." Sunday stood and showed him the book she'd picked off the shelf. "Do you want to come over where it's cozy and look at this book with me? It's about jungle animals!"

"Okay, Sunday!"

Jack followed Sunday to the reading area in the back of the store, where there were book and comfortable chairs abounding. He even summoned Kaida and Kendra to join them, not wanting them to be left out. The girls abandoned their woes and followed them.

Quinlan turned to JJ when Jack, Kaida, Kendra, and Sunday were out earshot. "Well, alright, then. Is there anything that you and JJ need right now?"

"Just a chair for myself." JJ said, realizing that her legs and arms were coming heavy because she'd been standing still with Zooey for too long. "Please."

Working quickly, Quinlan and Charlotte found two chairs from behind the registers and helped JJ sit in one and prop her feet up on the other. When she and Emily assured the twins that they were fine, Quinlan and Charlotte joined Sunday and the others. The rest of the store patrons all stayed put in their area, still wary and uptight.

"How's the baby?" Emily asked, maneuvering her wheelchair closer to JJ.

The blond looked down at her tiny friend, who had been resting quietly in her arms, only to see that she was making a face like she was about to cry.

"Oh, I remember that face." JJ sighed and quickly moved Zooey to her other arm in attempt to pacify her. "Zooey's hungry, Emily. Please tell me there's a bottle in the bag that Kendra brought."

Before going to look at books, Kendra had handed off Zooey's diaper bag to Emily for safekeeping. After a moment of rifling through it, Emily found a full bottle and gave it to JJ, who in turn offered it to Zooey. The little one was very relieved to taste the milk and turned to putty in JJ's arms as she began to drink her fill.

"There you go." JJ sighed in relief, giving Zooey a kiss on her tiny forehead. "You're okay, sweet pea. I'll protect you, just like last time. Yes, I will."

Emily watched JJ in awe. She'd seen her with small children before, but watching her with Zooey was very surreal because this was the little one who had gone straight to JJ's heart enough to melt it and have her change her mind about having a family. She suddenly felt her heart overflowing with love towards the baby.

"Is she doing better now?" Emily asked after a few moments.

JJ looked at Emily, and in spite of the situation, she grinned. Uh-huh. Zooey is just the same as when I had her in Oregon—a very happy camper in general, and easily satisfied with food."

"Sounds like most babies. How are Alexis and Olivia?"

JJ arched her back as she felt her daughters wake from a nap and begin to tumble around. "Awake now. What about Henry?"

Emily promptly groaned when she felt her son deliver a flurry of kicks to the side of her midriff. "He's also wide awake, but kicking in the same spot like it's the end of the world."

"I—oh, look at that..."

Restless again, Zooey had pulled away from her bottle and was leaning towards Emily, wanting her to hold her while she finished.

"Emelia," JJ said. "Zooey wants you. Will you take her?"

Emily hesitated because she was still working on allowing herself to be touched or have prolonged contact with anyone else, even JJ. But Zooey was just a baby...

Emily held her arms out. "Sure. I'll take her."

JJ deposited Zooey into Emily's arms, and her heart fluttered as she watched Emily fuss over her.

"Hi, baby princess." Emily cooed to Zooey. "I'm so happy to meet you because in a way, you're kind of responsible for keeping half my family intact. Thank you."

Zooey was awed by the sound of Emily's voice and smiled bashfully at her.

Emily felt her own heart melt, just as she'd seen JJ's do the same on the night she'd chosen against having an abortion and chosen to become a mother, instead. Emily even began to cry a little bit, because she was feeling so moved.

"Are you okay?" JJ asked her.

Emily nodded as she wiped her tears. "I'm perfect, Jennifer. Zooey just saw into my soul, the way she saw to yours in Oregon."

JJ's heart leapt with pride and joy—in a very unconventional way, Emily's woes had just been healed.

"I'm proud of you." she leaned over and kissed her partner. "Very proud."

"Thanks, babe."

Zooey let out an impatient whine, so JJ handed over the bottle.

"Alright, Zooey-love." Emily propped the baby in the crook of her arm for comfort and gave her her bottle. "You just drink your bottle now."

Zooey did.

JJ looked out towards the window, towards the bookstore that Kendra and Zooey had escaped from. Nothing had changed over there, except for it looking like the unsub was in the middle of some kind of rant now.

JJ really hoped that the rest of her team was nearby.


	51. Fifty

**Sorry, you guys! Work has kicked my butt this summer, and I had writer's block, but not anymore ;)**

* * *

Back in the command center, Penelope had been working feverishly to scour the security footage of the store where the unsub was camped out. She was desperate for a glimpse of him because just a glimpse was all she needed to run his face through Facial Recognition.

Finally—

"I got a hit! This guy's name is Caleb Rankin, and he's twenty-eight years old, and… oh, no."

"Talk to us." encouraged Strauss. "What is it?"

"This man has a serious ax to grind." Penelope reported as she scanned the screen in front of her. "Apparently, what's happening now is about a domestic fight with one of the store employees, one Trissa Halifax. The way the story goes is that Rankin and Halifax were married for almost two years until recently."

"What happened?" Hotch asked as he, Rossi, Derek, Strauss, and the two senior-most mobile station commanders, Murphy and Sedgewick, all gathered around Penelope. "Don't skimp on the details."

Penelope sighed. "Rankin lost his job as a night janitor at the Library Of Congress last year after one of his coworkers framed him for stealing. This happened at the same time that Halifax suffered a traumatic miscarriage."

Derek wrinkled his nose. "That's already enough of a trigger to make anyone lose their mind, but something else happened—what was it?"

Penelope continued to scan her screen for information, and as she did so, she found herself caressing her baby bump even more than she usually did.

"Rankin was angry after he lost his job and then he turned abusive, eventually blaming his wife for losing their child. After that, she had enough and filed for a divorce and a restraining order."

"When did everything go into effect?" Spencer asked.

"According to what the information is telling me, last week Tuesday. It looks like Rankin couldn't take no for an answer, and now he's come after his ex-wife."

"And he enlisted 'help' from whoever started those brawls to draw attention away from the book store so he could go in without attracting too much attention."

Rossi turned his attention back to the screen when Penelope switched it back to the live feed of the security cameras from inside the bookstore. Something had caught his attention, and it was making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Sir?" Penelope questioned when she saw him grow quiet.

"Rankin has taken off his mask and rounded up three people in particular." he pointed to a specific part of the screen. "Can you enhance this?"

Penelope did as asked and then they all saw what Rossi was looking at.

"This must be Trissa Halifax," Rossi pointed a scared-looking twenty-something black woman sitting in the middle of the store, hugging her knees to her chest. "But who are these two?"

He pointed to an equally-scared but smartly-dressed Asian couple sitting next to Trissa Halifax.

Using the Facial Recognition software again, Penelope did some further investigating.

"Their names are Yuri and Saki Fujimoto, and they're divorce lawyers at the same firm in Judiciary Square. According to this," Penelope gestured towards the information she was currently speed-reading on the screen. "They settled Rankin and Halifax's divorce. But how did Rankin even know that _they_ were there?"

"We'll figure that out soon enough." Strauss decided. "First of all, can you locate our people, and do the Fujimotos have kids?"

Through yet more searching, Penelope was able to answer the second question first. "The Fujimotos have four kids—three sons and a daughter."

"Names?"

"The brothers, in order, are Osamu, Nori, and Ryo. They're in the eighth, seventh, and sixth grades at Ellington Prepatory School in Capitol Hill."

"And their sister?"

Penelope scanned the screen, searching. "Her name is Kendra, and she's a student at George Washington Elementary School, also in Capitol Hill. It also says that Kendra's birthday is the day after tomorrow."

Hotch spoke up. "Jack attends a day program at George Washington Elementary, but they have the day off because it's a staff development day. The Fujimoto boys are probably still in school since they go to a different school altogether. Penelope, can you back up the footage up so we can see which of the Fujimotos went to Barnes & Noble today?"

Penelope complied, and Spencer was the one who spotted them first, speaking quickly.

"Penelope, freeze it!"

She did, and Spencer pointed to what he was looking at.

"Here are the older Fujimotos and Kendra, but none of the brothers. Fast forward to when Rankin comes in, but focus on Kendra, and see if you can follow her."

Penelope followed through on the instructions, and they all saw the events transpire exactly as Kendra had described them to JJ earlier.

"Hey," Derek said suddenly as they watched the footage. "That's JJ talking to Kendra, and it looks like Kendra has a _baby_ in tow… but then here comes Charlotte and Quinlan Fitzgerald with Jack."

They all watched as the Fitzgeralds pulled JJ and the kids out of the way of the stampede, and then as they hurried into the toy store, just before the grate closed.

"That's The Toy Emporium." said Strauss in recognition. "I took my sons and daughter there all the time when they were younger."

Penelope did some more finagling on her keyboard, and they were all treated to live feed from the inside of the toy store. Strauss narrated her thoughts.

"There's Agents Jareau and Prentiss, the Fitzgeralds and the other store employees, but where are the children who came in with Agent Jareau from the hallway?"

Penelope found them quickly on the security footage. "They're all back here in what looks like the children's area, and I see Kendra, but it looks like she handed the baby to JJ or Emily at some point. I also see one of the customers, a teenage girl, from the looks of her, and I see Jack, but I don't know who this other girl is that's with them."

"That's JJ's and Emily's niece." Hotch provided. "Haley told me that the whole reason JJ and Emily are at the mall to begin with is to take her shopping for Kendra's birthday party."

"What's their niece's name?" Strauss asked Hotch.

"Her name is Kaida, and Kendra was the first friend she made after the Jareaus moved here."

"Best friends?" Strauss guessed.

Hotch nodded. "Yes, and Kaida's father is JJ's older brother."

"I understand."

Derek worked his way in to the conversation. "Now that we know where everyone is, we should try making contact JJ and Emily."

"That's going to be easier said than done." Penelope told her fiancé.

"Why is that?"

"Hotch was right earlier when he told them that Haley guessed that there's a jammer in place. Now, I am absolutely confident that I can use my mojo to break through it and contact JJ or Emily, but it will take awhile."

Recognizing a veiled, "Please leave me alone!" threat in Penelope's tone, Hotch herded everyone to the other side of the trailer and they all powwowed around him.

Strauss turned to Hotch. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I'll take a team of officers inside to help the authorities inside who are with the customers inside that weren't able to leave."

"And detain some of the people involved in the brawls."

"For questioning?"

Strauss nodded. "See if you can get at least one of them to talk."

"Alright. Since Morgan is still recovering his injury in New York, I'll take Doctor Reid with me right now."

Rossi stepped forward. "I'll take another team to see if we can find a way to evacuate The Toy Emporium without being noticed, just in case there's a misstep in Penelope's plan or she can't make contact for whatever reason."

"Good idea." Hotch praised. "Make sure you get blueprints before you go."

Strauss chimed in, "I'll stay behind with Agent Morgan to hold the fort down."

A few minutes later, after a proper plan had been hatched and all the right blueprints had been handed out, they heard a loud series of beeps from one of Penelope's computers, followed the sounds of her fretting like an anxious mother hen as she turned around to face the others.

"You guys, we now have even more reason to go in the toy store with extreme caution—I had my computer scan all of the hostage's medical records, just in case, and someone popped."

"Who?" Rossi asked.

"Kendra Fujimoto—she's an asthmatic and has a history of panic attacks, even though she's a kid."

Rossi sighed, but only because he hated to see kids in distress.

"Thanks for the notice." Rossi turned to his team. "Let's go, and get ready to climb—we're going to the roof."

Luckily, Kendra Fujimoto was perfectly fine for the time being.

* * *

The one who wasn't was Cho.

Back at her house, she was still on the couch, but hunched over in pain from a contraction—her twin boys were going to be born today, no question, but it had already been the better part of a decade since the last time she'd been pregnant and since she was outside of the average childbearing age, she was already beginning to feel the agony of labor. She was also beginning to panic.

Cho's parents, along with Sandy Jareau and Elizabeth Prentiss, were all standing off to the side, having been rebuffed by her when they all tried to help. The only person whom she hadn't rejected was Haley, and that was because Haley, despite her own pregnancy, had slipped into nurse mode, and was kneeling in front of Cho, coaching her through her pain.

After the contraction passed and Haley helped her friend sit back up, she said in a neutral tone, "We have to get you to the hospital, Cho, and whoever you want to come can come. But since you've got two little babies in there, it's very important that we leave now."

"But I can't leave!" Cho sobbed, thinking of a TV report they'd seen a little while ago. "Not when Kaida is a _hostage_ and Archer and I can't protect her!"

Haley continued to be calm. "Kaida isn't alone, remember? JJ and Emily are with her."

Cho blew out a breath when she felt a few errant kicks. "I remember."

"Good girl. When I called Aaron, he told me that he trusts JJ and Emily with his life, and that they've saved it numerous times. You'd trust people with track records like theirs to protect your child, right?"

"Absolutely, but didn't you say that Dave told us we can't go?"

"He said not until your water broke."

Before Cho could say anything to that, the front door opened and two people entered the house.

"Cho? I just got your message and was able to leave, but you'll never believe who I found in the driveway just n—oh, boy."

It was Archer Jareau, accompanied by Maximo Prentiss, who had also just managed to leave his place of work so he could be with his family. Elizabeth immediately hurried forward to greet Maximo and update him, while Archer moved towards the couch, switching places with Haley.

"What is it?" Archer looked at his wife like she was the only other person in world. "Are you having contractions now?"

"Yes," Cho whimpered. "But I'm too scared to go to the hospital because of the situation that Kaida is in."

Archer kissed Cho's brow. "Jenny and Emily are with her, and they will do everything they can to protect her. What matters right now is you and I protecting our baby boys and also doing what's best for them so they can come into the world safely."

Cho was going to say something in agreement, but she froze, her eyes widening suddenly and she looked over at Haley, who understood immediately.

"Oh, I recognize that look." Haley said sympathetically. "Your water just broke, didn't it?"

Cho nodded and gave Haley a feeble smile. "I guess it's time to go, huh?"

"You bet. Come on."

The next few minutes were filled with everyone helping Cho get ready to go to the hospital.

In the end, Haley ended up accompanying the Jareaus and Cho's parents went, too. So did Sandy. Before they left, Archer offered their house and food to the Prentisses, in case they didn't want to leave, just yet. Maximo and Elizabeth were very grateful.

After everyone left, the Prentisses were very quiet, just thinking and reflecting on their lives.

They'd both been through a lot during their world travels, and they'd even been in war-torn countries, but even after all of these years of living stateside, they were both coming to realize the same thing: the last time they'd experienced a day this long was the day that Emily had been born, and this day wasn't over yet. It was just getting started.


End file.
